IMPLYING that he had found the deal unfair, PBA commissioner Chito Salud yesterday rejected the proposed trade that would have shipped MVP contender Marcio Lassiter of Powerade for two Petron players who spent more time sitting on the bench rather than on the playing court.

Salud made the announcement yesterday after the special Board meeting that also discussed the status of Powerade and the person who will sit as Chairman of the Board next season.

Under the original pact submitted to the Commissioner’s Office, Lassiter, who came in third in statistical points in the Best Player of the Conference race in the Philippine Cup, will be traded by the Tigers to the Boosters for Noy Baclao and Rey Guevarra, the Nos. 1 and 3 picks in the 2011-12 Draft.

Baclao and Guevarra, though, have been sparingly used by Petron ever since they have been acquired along with Rabeh Al-Hussaini for Dondon Hontiveros, Danny Seigle, Dorian Pena and Paul Artadi in a blockbuster trade last season.

“Upon evaluation of the trade that is now before my office, I am exercising my right as Commissioner to veto the trade, return the trade (proposal) to the parties concerned for possible revisions to make it more balance,” Salud said.

And this early, a number of options have already popped up.

A source who refused to be identified said that Petron is willing to let go of Rabeh Al-Hussaini for Lassiter in a one-on-one trade. The source also mentioned that the Boosters are ready to release three players – Carlo Sharma, Lordy Tugade, and Mark Agustin for the former Smart-Gilas player, but flatly rejected the idea of a Baclao-Joseph Yeo deal for Lassiter.

Salud came out with the decision over the proposed deal only after the three-and-a-half hour meeting yesterday at the PBA office in Libis. In the gathering, Powerade’s acting governor, Ronald Asuncion, attended the meeting to finally shed light on the franchise’s reported sale to San Miguel Corp. for a staggering amount of P100 million.

“Basically, we wanted to clarify that no sale has been made. The Powerade Tigers continue to be under the ownership, management and control of Coca-Cola Bottlers, Phils., Inc.,” said Asuncion, the company’s procurement director.

Asked on how long they intend to stay in the PBA, Asuncion replied: “As long as it takes to win a championship.”

“I cannot be totally honest that I am biased because I think we will win this next conference, but by all means don’t misconstrue it as an eagerness to exit the league. It’s just an eagerness to win the championship.”

Asuncion became acting governor of Powerade after JB Baylon, who has been the governor of the franchise since it entered the league in 2002, resigned last Friday. Baylon’s resignation takes effect on Feb. 29.

Since Baylon was the vice-chairman of the Board when he left, it does not mean now that Asuncion will be the next Chairman of the Board.

That position will belong to Robert Non (Ginebra), currently the treasurer and chief of sports operations of SMC.

Now that the Board has been finally clarified over the disturbing matter on the Powerade sale and assured of a balanced deal between the two franchises, Salud has decided that it is time to create new rules intended to avoid a similar mess that mushroomed from the SMC-Powerade rumors.

“The operative word before the Board can take action on any franchise sale is consummation,” said Salud. “A sale between an existing team member to a third party will be brought to the attention of the board, the board will be convened to approve or reject the said sale and it requires the vote of two-thirds of the Board.

“Now, where do all these speculations and concerns of unloading of players in contemplation of a trade in the future come from? It comes from a loophole in our rules because there are no rules that cover the gap between the intention to sell and the actual notice sent to the PBA.

“That's why our Board has agreed that during the next board meeting, the Commissioner will be proposing rules precisely to cover that lag, that vacuum and together, collectively, we will formulate rules to avoid the unloading or trading of players in contemplation of a sale.”

Meantime, Meralco has decided to bring in a stand-by import in Earl Barron, the former Red Bull reinforcement who was a member of the Miami Heat when it won the NBA title in 2006.

Barron saw action for Red Bull in the transition 2004-05 Fiesta Conference. The 7-footer arrived yesterday, but remains doubtful whether he will already suit up for the Bolts when they square off with the Alaska Aces on March 2.

At the moment, Jarrid Famous is reinforcing the Bolts.