C-Stan trade request tough to ignore, admits Cone

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NOW the cat is out of the bag.

While Tim Cone lauded Christian Standhardinger as a pro in the truest sense of the word, the Barangay Ginebra coach said they had to begin thinking about dealing him to other teams the moment he asked to be traded.

it was hard to step away from th“Once he requested a trade from the team, however, at,” Cone said Saturday in a message to SPIN.ph when the Gin Kings finally found a taker for Standhardinger in Terrafirma.

 

The trade that sent shockwaves around the league in its offseason also included veteran guard Stanley Pringle and Ginebra’s No. 10 pick in Sunday’s rookie draft, all in exchange for the Dyip’s top pick last year in Stephen Holt, young big man Isaac Go, and the coveted No. 3 overall choice in this year’s draft.

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In a separate post on his social media account, the 6-foot-8 Fil-German admitted he did once ask management for a trade, but made it clear during his exit interview with Ginebra in the past season about his desire to stay and play on with the Gin Kings.

But Standhardinger, who was Ginebra’s best player last season and in contention for the MVP plum, made it clear he respected the decision of Cone and management and understands the business side of sports.

Ginebra, Terrafirma come to terms

Cone however, decided to push the trade button after striking an acceptable deal with Terrafirma.

“We looked for a trade. But besides trading him for June Mar [Fajardo], who could you trade Christian straight up for?” asked Cone.

“We realize we’re taking a step back without Christian. He’s an awesome player and will make Terrafirma an immediate contender,” he added.

Cone admitted there were times he and the 35-year-old Standhardinger would have misunderstandings, but he always had high regard for the veteran big man who helped Ginebra win two championships during his stint with the franchise.

“We didn’t always see eye-to-eye, and he was not always happy,” said Cone. “But he always worked hard to understand our system and do what we asked of him.”

“I have nothing but good things to say about Christian. He was one of the most professional players I’ve ever been around, and he worked hard all the time.”

As for Ginebra, life goes on as it continues to build for the future.

“In the meantime, we will continue to rebuild with younger players,” said Cone.

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