Will Chris Lutz recharge the Bolts?

Image from Interaksyon.

Free agency isn't usually a deep source of headlines in the PBA, but Chris Lutz and the Meralco Bolts changed that today.

The talented Filipino-American wingman recently ended his contract with the San Miguel Beermen, and many PBA fans waited with bated breath about what decision the former Marshall Thundering Herd would make.

Because he hardly had consistent playing time at San Miguel Beer, Lutz was expected to sign elsewhere, perhaps with either of SMB's sister teams - Star or Ginebra. The 6'3 native of Bedford, New Hampshire has great size for his position, and he possesses an enviable skill-set comparable to the guy behind whom he plays — Marcio Lassiter. 

The Top Five #PBA2015 Small Forwards Right Now

Calvin Abueva has been tearing it up, so he’s definitely on this list, but who else joins him as the top swingmen of the PBA? Resident Gilas starting SF Gabe Norwood didn’t make the cut. So did the high-flying Chris Ellis and the sweet-shooting KG Cañaleta. So who joins the Beast? Well, read on and find out.

The Beast is on top, but who are the other top-performing SFs in the PBA right now?

Without further ado, here they are – the top five small forwards of the 2014-2015 PBA season as of November 12, 2014 (as always, this is based on the Player Efficiency ratings as calculated by PBA-Online.net):

The Top Five PBA Small Forwards Right Now (March 5, 2014)

The small forward spot has not been the deepest in the PBA. The top guy on this list doesn’t even break into the top 15 of the league in terms of efficiency rating, but that doesn’t mean there’s no potential game-changer here. On the contrary, the PBA’s SFs have some of the most versatile players in the country – guys who can play, and be effective in, multiple positions.

Without further ado, here they are – the top five small forwards in the 2013-2014 PBA season as of March 5, 2014 (as always, this is based on the Player Efficiency ratings as calculated by PBA-Online.net):

Who else should be among these guys as the top small forwards in the PBA?
(composite image by Enzo Flojo/HoopNut)

Good Enough for Gilas: Chris Lutz

2014 is going to be a BIG year for Philippine basketball. This year will mark the first time two of our Philippine National Teams (Men’s and U17) will march onto the world stage and compete at the highest level of international hoops. Our very own Gilas Pilipinas squad will go to Spain and play in the 2014 FIBA World Cup, while the Philippine U17 Team, coached by Jamike Jarin, will troop over to Dubai for the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championships. 

It’s been reported that the Gilas Pilipinas brain trust is keen on tapping more players to join the pool, with the magic number pegged at 24. That means that there are still around eleven slots open. Take note that this does not YET include the two naturalized prospects of the team — Javale McGee of the Denver Nuggets and Andray Blatche of the Brooklyn Nets. We’re still not sure if their respective naturalization processes will finish in time for Gilas to include their names in the final 24-man pool.

As of this writing, the 2014 FIBA World Cup Draw is done, and the Philippines has been grouped along with Senegal, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Greece, and Croatia. That, in my opinion, is the second-toughest group of the lot, and making it into the second round will certainly be the tallest task coach Chot Reyes has ever faced. Needless to say, he’ll need all thew support he can get.

This is the seventh piece in a series of posts detailing the players who can be part of that pool. For each named individual, we will look at the good things he can bring to the pool, his probable role should he get named to the final Gilas lineup, and the possible match-ups he will have at the Asian and world levels.

Today, we’ll talk about someone who was part of Gilas in the 2011 FIBA Asia Men’s Championships in Wuhan, China. He was an integral part of that campaign, forming a dreaded pairing with fellow Fil-American Marcio Lassiter at the wings. He is none other than Petron swingman Chris Lutz.

Chris Lutz was a part of Gilas before. Can he
crack the lineup again?
(image by Paul Ryan Tan/Sports 5)