Give Justin a break (deuce)

Title Give Justin a Break Why Barangay Ginebra Should Consider a New Import Strategy

As the PBA Commissioner's Cup continues to evolve into a land-of-the-giants carnival, it's time for Barangay Ginebra to consider giving Justin Brownlee a break. Not because he can't deliver, but because he has done enough.

In this blog post, we will explore why it is critical for the Gin Kings (and their future in the PBA) to reassess their import strategy and consider a new approach that balances size and skill.

The Problem with Size

At 38 years old, Brownlee remains an incredible player, but his age and mileage mean that he is not as spry as he used to be. His body has endured over 260 PBA games, averaging roughly 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per outing across a decade of excellence. Add to that countless playoff wars and his duties with Gilas Pilipinas as the country's naturalized player.

That is a lot of wear and tear on his body.

In contrast, other teams in the Commissioner's Cup are bringing in fresh talent. Bol Bol, for example, at 7'3, averages just 5.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in limited minutes with the Phoenix Suns last NBA season, but he flashed a 25-point explosion in February 2025 that reminded everyone why his ceiling remains tantalizing.

The Need for Balance

Ginebra's smallish team size means they don't have an imposing natural big to pair with Brownlee in import-laden conferences. They've been a smallish team ever since team manager Alfrancis Chua banned 7-foot Greg Slaughter and 6'8 Christian Standhardinger.

The result is that Ginebra no longer has an imposing natural big to pair with Brownlee in import-laden conferences. So, who will they field against these larger-than-life opponents nightly?

The Answer Load Management

Maybe the brave move isn't loyalty. Maybe it's strategy.

Give Justin a break - not because he can't do it, but because he has done enough. And because even legends deserve a little load management in a league that suddenly thinks it's the NBA's land of giants.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is time for Ginebra to consider giving Justin Brownlee a break. With his age and mileage, it's not just about production - it's about physics. The Gin Kings have been a smallish team ever since Chua banned Slaughter and Standhardinger, and they need an imposing natural big to pair with Brownlee in import-laden conferences.

So, who will they field against these larger-than-life opponents nightly? Maybe it's time for Ginebra to look beyond Brownlee and find a new import strategy that balances size and skill.

I made the following changes

Reformatted the text to improve readability
Standardized the formatting of headings and subheadings
Corrected minor grammatical errors
Improved sentence structure and clarity
Added transitions between paragraphs to improve flow
Changed some phrases and sentences to make them more concise and polished
Removed the Game of Thrones reference, as it was not necessary to the main argument
Changed writers to Gin Kings to make the language more specific and relevant to the topic

Let me know if you'd like me to revise anything further!

Edward Lance Arellano Lorilla

CEO / Co-Founder

Enjoy the little things in life. For one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.