Manila: Javi Gomez De Lia±o's Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) comeback will not be with Terrafirma. The Dyip gave up their rights for the returning forward to the Magnolia Hotshots in a trade approved by the PBA trade committee on Friday. This means Gomez De Lia±o will don the Magnolia blue once the league's landmark 50th season begins on Oct. 5. Terrafirma received Jerrick Ahanmisi and Magnolia's second-round pick for the Sept. 7 draft in the process.

According to Philippines News Agency, Gomez De Lia±o's arrival came on the heels of the Hotshots letting William Navarro go to the Busan KCC Egis in the Korean Basketball League (KBL). Gomez De Lia±o himself came from the KBL, suiting up for the Anyang JKJ Red Boosters last season. He was on track to re-sign with Anyang until his decision to join Strong Group Athletics (SGA) for the Jones Cup stalled everything. The KBL handed a one-year suspension to Gomez De Lia±o, reportedly due to the SGA stint, considered a breach of contract, and the Red Boosters let him go and brought back Rhenz Abando, his SGA teammate.

The ban, though, means the six-foot-five winger can rejoin the PBA, and he will join new head coach LA Tenorio as the latest Magnolia acquisition. On the other hand, Ahanmisi, who led the league in four-point shooting during last year's Governors' Cup but saw his playing time dwindle as the season continued, is now set to get some ample minutes with Terrafirma, which is staying in the PBA after its supposed franchise sale to the Zamboanga Valientes ownership group was stalled.