It’s either Cameron Clark or Chris McLaughlin as an import for Hong Kong Eastern when it plays as a guest team in the coming PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The 6-foot-6 Clark and 6-foot-10 McLaughlin are seeing action for the 92-year-old Hong Kong-based franchise in the ongoing East Asia Super League (EASL) Home and Away Season 2.
But with the mid-season conference allowing just one import to utilize, Hong Kong Eastern will have to choose who, between Clark and McLaughlin, will reinforce the team in its campaign in the meet that features imports of unlimited height.
Based on its showing in the EASL so far, where Eastern carries a 0-2 record, Clark leads the team in scoring with an average of 24.0 points, but McLaughlin is Hong Kong’s top rebounder with a 12.0-rebound average.
Clark, of course, already had experience playing in the PBA. He saw action with NLEX and San Miguel in two previous editions of the Governors’ Cup, where he steered the Road Warriors and Beermen to the semifinals.
Some of his contemporaries, such as Justine Brownlee and Rondae Hollis Jefferson, are highly considered by Barangay Ginebra and TNT to reinforce them again after the two teams tangled in the recent Governors’ Cup finals.
On the other hand, McLaughlin’s imposing presence in the middle could also be to Hong Kong’s advantage, especially with other towering imports such as Ricardo Ratliffe (Magnolia), Cheick Diallo (Converge), Akil Mitchell (Meralco), Ryan Richards (Terrafirma), among others, also tapped to play for the second conference.
Commissioner Willie Marcial earlier said the league in Hong Kong will apply the same rules on import.
Under PBA rules, the original import choice can be replaced for any reason. Still, it should be relegated by the team on the injured/reserved list for him to be eligible for reactivation.
Failure to consign him to the injured/reserved list meant the team couldn’t bring him back again.
On the other hand, the replacement import will no longer be able to return for the rest of the team’s campaign once substituted.
So, will it be Clark or McLaughlin for Hong Kong Eastern?