The PBA and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) have shared interests to tackle in the first board meeting of the year scheduled late January.
Among the top topics to be discussed by both parties are the futures of the five players drafted by the SBP in the 2019 Gilas Pilipinas draft and whether or not there will be another iteration of the special draft this year.
"We'll decide on that during the board meeting," commissioner Willie Marcial told ESPN5's Lyn Olavario on Thursday. "We'll talk about whether or not there will be a special draft and what will happen to the five players, among others."
In the special draft held over a year ago, the PBA loaned added Isaac Go (Columbian), Rey Suerte (Blackwater), Matt Nieto (NLEX), Allyn Bulanadi (Alaska) and Mike Nieto (Rain or Shine) to the Gilas pool.
The SBP has the option to release any of the five back to their mother teams, but that will depend on how the applicant turnout will look by the time the league closes its doors on aspiring rookies on Jan. 27. A decision on having another Gilas draft or not will also be made after determining the player field.
"They still don't know who will enter the draft. We're going to wait until the last day so we can give them the complete list," said Marcial. "We'll have a meeting either on the 28th or the 29th."
Also on the agenda for the PBA and the SBP is the list of players requested by the federation ahead of the third window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers slated in February.
Marcial said some names have already been requested for the team's games against South Korea and Indonesia, but they won't be divulged until both the league and the SBP are able to have a discussion with the players later this week.
Part of the discussion involves explaining how the training camp and how the tournament bubble in Clark, Pampanga -- the same place where the PBA bubble was held from October to December -- will be instituted.
"We're talking to the players and the teams, and we'll have them talk to the SBP so they can learn about the process. If they agree during those discussions, only then we'll publicize the list," said Marcial. "We're targeting to talk to them this week. It's a bit difficult since some are on vacation. But I hope I can get the SBP to talk to the players this week."
No player has given their verbal commitment to join the pool as of now, Marcial said.
"I've talked to some players. They'll take a meeting with the SBP. The others, we can't contact. But we're still trying," he said. "They'll think about it after the meeting, probably."