Jio Jalalon-Justin Chua Trade Stalled as PBA Freezes NorthPort Deals Amid Franchise Sale

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by Lou Reyes

NorthPort point guard Jio Jalalon.
NorthPort point guard Jio Jalalon. Photo: PBA Images.

The much-talked-about swap between Jio Jalalon and Justin Chua has suddenly hit a wall — and it’s not because of basketball reasons. 

The PBA Board has officially placed a trade moratorium on all NorthPort transactions while the franchise’s sale to Pureblends Corp. is being finalized.

That explains why the paperwork for Jalalon’s move to Blackwater, in exchange for veteran big man Chua, is now stuck in limbo. PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial confirmed the freeze, saying the directive came right after NorthPort formally informed the league of the impending sale during the Sept. 3 board meeting in Las Vegas.

The timing couldn’t have been trickier. Trade documents for the Jalalon-Chua deal were filed just last week — but too late, as the moratorium was already in effect.

Interestingly, one NorthPort transaction did sneak through before the freeze: Evan Nelle’s transfer to Phoenix. That three-team trade saw the Fuel Masters land Nelle, Converge pick up Jeo Ambohot, and NorthPort acquire the signing rights to Larry Muyang. Because that deal was approved before the franchise sale notice, it pushed through without issue.

Blackwater's Justin Chua.
Blackwater's Justin Chua.

This isn’t the first time the league has enforced a pause during ownership transitions. The same thing happened with Terrafirma when it entered talks with Starhorse Shipping Lines and later, the Zamboanga Valientes. Once those sales collapsed, the Dyip quickly resumed business, even sending Javi Gomez de Liano to Magnolia in exchange for Jerrick Ahanmisi.

For now, Blackwater governor Siliman Sy admits they just have to wait. “The deal will be revisited once Pureblends officially takes over NorthPort,” he said.

But here’s the catch: time isn’t on NorthPort’s side. Jalalon’s current contract runs only until Sept. 30. After that, he’ll hit free agency — and he’s only one conference away from becoming an automatic unrestricted free agent.

That adds even more intrigue to the situation. Word around the league is that if Jalalon does end up wearing Blackwater’s colors, it could just be a pit stop. Rumors are swirling that TNT is his ultimate destination, with some even claiming he’s already been spotted at Tropang Giga practices.

So the question now is: will NorthPort and Blackwater beat the clock before Jalalon’s deal expires, or will “The Bus Driver” steer himself toward free agency — and possibly straight into TNT’s waiting arms?