Jojo Lastimosa will not be around when the TNT Tropang Giga competes in the Philippine Basketball Association preseason tournament starting 21 May.
Lastimosa said he will be leaving for the United States next month to observe the NBA Summer League as well as scout possible imports for the Commissioner’s Cup and Governors’ Cup of the league’s 48th season.
In particular, Lastimosa aims to observe the Summer League campaign of the Golden State Warriors, who got booted out by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the National Basketball Association Western Conference playoffs.
“I’ll be leaving this July to observe the NBA Summer League and equip myself as well as scout possible imports,” Lastimosa said in a message to Daily Tribune.
Lastimosa said he is trying to connect with the Warriors’ Summer League coach Jama Mahlalela, similar to what Tim Cone did when he observed the Miami Heat last year.
“We worked together during the NBA Jrs. Camp in the Philippines,” Lastimosa said.
“I’m trying to contact him and see if I can sit down and observe them during the Summer League just like what Coach Tim did with Miami last year.”
With Lastimosa out of the country, longtime assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga will be taking the helm for the Tropang Giga in the PBA preseason tournament while Yuri Escueta, Bong Ravena and Ranidel de Ocampo will serve as his assistants.
TNT, which dethroned Cone and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the Governors’ Cup, has also invited four players from San Beda University to join its preseason team.
Clifford Jopia, Damie Cuntapay, JV Gallego and Peter Alfaro will be suiting up for the Tropang Giga to gauge their readiness for the league’s Annual Rookie Draft in October.
Jopia, who previously played for Far Eastern University before joining San Beda and Cuntapay, are legitimate slotmen while Gallego and Alfaro are combo guards.
“San Beda and TNT, which is being supported by the MVP Group, are helping each other out and this is beneficial for both sides,” Escueta said in an online exchange.
