The BEAU BELGA talks are back on.
Sources told SPIN.ph that Rain or Shine management and officials of NLEX have revived talks on a possible trade for Belga that were shelved before the PBA Rookie Draft.
SPIN.ph reported early in the year that Belga and Vic Manuel were two of the big men NLEX coach Yeng Guiao was considering to bring in to fortify the Road Warriors' frontline after losing Poy Erram in a trade with TnT last season.
While Manuel ended up being traded by Alaska to Phoenix, NLEX shelved any move for a big man, prefering to wait until after the PBA Rookie Draft where it had two high picks before making any more transactions.
The move for a big man became necessary since NLEX ended up losing the No. 4 pick in a three-way trade that enabled sister team TnT to select highly regarded Fil-Am Mikey Williams.
The Road Warriors didn't get a single big man in the draft, selecting former San Beda forward Calvin Oftana at No. 3 overall and guard David Murell in the second round.
NLEX did get former first-round pick Maurice Shaw from Blackwater in the trade, but the Fil-Am center is unlikely to earn a place in Guiao's rotation.
That made a move for a big man of Belga's caliber necessary.
Belga, who has been with Rain or Shine since 2011, still has a contract with the Elastopainters that runs until October, although talks for a contract extension have stalled.
Sources said talks on a possible trade have undergone five revisions. The last version supposedly would send Belga to NLEX in exchange for Michael Miranda and a future draft pick was thumbed down by the Road Warriors.
The latest counter offer from NLEX transmitted to Rain or Shine last Thursday was a swap for Belga for the Road Warriors’ Will McAloney and Kris Porter.
There's no word yet on any response from the Elastopainters.