PBA: Guiao hopes Rain or Shine keeps Mamuyac, Caracut long term

Rain or Shine guard Gian Mamuyac during a game against Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Coach Yeng Guiao is hopeful that Rain or Shine can ink up Gian Mamuyac and Andrei Caracut to long-term deals by the time the team’s campaign in the PBA Governors’ Cup comes to a close.

Both Mamuyac and Caracut’s contracts were set to expire this month, but Guiao bared that they were automatically extended until the end of the season-ending conference as per league rules.

“We still have a few things to work on with Mamu and Andrei’s contracts,” Guiao said after the Elasto Painters clobbered the shorthanded Macau Giant Pandas, 139-98, in a tune-up game held Tuesday inside the exclusive Acropolis subdivision in Quezon City.

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Rain or Shine’s Andrei Caracut shoots against Ginebra’s RJ Abarrientos during the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

“But I’m hopeful that we can settle those [contracts] in the next few days or weeks at the most. But because of the automatic extension that the league allows, there’s no problem for this conference.”

Rain or Shine had been holding out hope that the two would remain with the team, especially after coming off a semifinal series loss to Barangay Ginebra in the Commissioner’s Cup.

Mamuyac is said to be receiving offers to play overseas, though Rain or Shine has already laid out a three-year offer in order to keep its elected team captain in the fold.

The Elasto Painters, however, have yet to put out a concrete offer for Caracut, who, apart from his playmaking role, has emerged as one of the team’s most popular players given his social media presence.

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“I think both offers are very fair,” Guiao said. “It’s also a three-year contract. So that’s also something that they’re fairly secured with the term of the contract. But it’s really up to them.

“We love Mamu. We love the time we spend together. We think he benefited from us, we benefited from him. I think he won’t be at a disadvantage with our proposal, so maybe they’re already thinking about it.

“Andrei’s details have yet to be straightened out. We have the next four to five months to still be able to do that,” added Guiao.

Rain or Shine opens its third conference campaign on Saturday against Blackwater in Rodriguez, Rizal, and Guiao doesn’t see the uncertainty of both players as a distraction, citing their “professionalism” and being “high-character players.”