It hasn't even been a week since he officially joined San Miguel, but CJ Perez's goals are already geared towards helping the Beermen stay on top of the PBA.
"I want to sustain the legacy they built," he said in Filipino on Wednesday. "They've sacrificed a lot to win all the championships they've won. I have to do my part in maintaining that legacy."
In order to do that, Perez may have to take a step back and defer to his new veteran teammates -- a role the 2019 Rookie of the Year is more than willing to take even though he's never really ceded much to anyone for most of his young pro career.
In the 2020 season, the 27-year-old guard averaged a league-high 24.4 points on 43.6 percent shooting while adding 6.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists (tied for ninth overall) and 2.0 steals (tied for third) for Terrafirma, which couldn't capitalize on its franchise star's excellence after winning just one of 11 games in the Clark bubble.
As the lone player who could consistently create his own offense for a downtrodden Dyip team, Perez put up all the shots that he could and led the league in field goals made (8.4) and attempted (19.2). Perez also got to the line more than anyone (9.6 shots) and paced the league in free throws made (6.0).
All that will change in SMB, where Perez will share the court with players who have the right to monopolize the offense as much as he does.
"I'll figure out my role and how I'll play with them. It's an adjustment because they're veterans, but I'm excited to learn from them," he said. "I know I can adjust quickly as a role player since I'm familiar with playing that type of game when I'm with Gilas Pilipinas."
At the guard spots, Perez will have to share shots and touches with Terrence Romeo, Alex Cabagnot and Chris Ross. But even if the two-time scoring champion offers a little more upside at this point in his career compared to his senior teammates and eventually usurps them in the backcourt hierarchy, he'll still have to give up a little more to June Mar Fajardo, who is naturally at the center of everything the Beermen want to run.
That means Perez will have to rely more -- but not completely -- off the ball through cuts or spot-up shots in order to generate points. Perez doesn't see that as a problem, though he does admit he has to work on his shooting more. He can put up shots, but the shooting averages of the 2017 NCAA MVP actually dipped in his second season to just 26.9 percent from long range compared to an already middling 32.5 percent mark in his rookie year.
"It's a huge honor to be playing alongside June Mar in SMB. He's a six-time MVP. I'm excited and I'm already looking forward to the games that we'll be playing," he said. "I think I can play off the ball. My three-point shooting was lower this season, so I have to put in the extra work because there are a lot of players who can create in San Miguel. I'm also working on involving my teammates better. But I have a lot of time to practice and work on all of that."
His immediate impact lies on the defensive end of the floor. Perez is a dogged defender who is averaging 1.9 steals for his career. Pairing him with a two-time Defensive Player of the Year in Ross almost guarantees a rough night for guards on the opposing side.
"He's a great defender," Perez said of the 35-year-old Ross. "I'm excited to help him out. They're not that young anymore so they're not going to be pressuring opponents as much, but I'm there to help him out to ease the load."
To say that San Miguel got a bargain in the trade for Perez is a severe understatement. Perez is undoubtedly among the league's elite who is just about to hit his prime while polishing other facets of his game. Although he's heard rumblings of a trade, the deal -- which sent Russel Escoto, Gelo Alolino, Matt Ganuelas-Rosser, this year's No. 8 pick and a 2022 first-round pick to Terrafirma -- was still something that came out of the blue for Perez.
"I feel a bit giddy," shared Perez. "But I didn't expect this would happen. There were a lot of rumors, but they were just that -- rumors. But that's the life of basketball: you never know where you're headed."
While there's naturally excitement on Perez's part, Terrafirma team governor Bobby Rosales said the star guard never really complained or asked to be traded -- not even once. Perez said it's all about remaining committed to the job.
"As a player, you want to help your team rise up. I'm never going to ask for a trade or complain because that's my job. The management will decide for me, and I'll just have to wait for their decisions," he said. "I'm not really picky; whatever team I play for, as long as they value me, I'll play with everything I got for my teammates and my coaches."
All that passion and dedication will now be poured into San Miguel's title hopes, which are certainly boosted with the arrival of Perez. A title is expected, but a Grand Slam is an entirely different conversation altogether. Perez, however, is focused on the present, where he and the Beermen are basking in the glory of all the potential the new partnership has to offer.
"I don't think I'm the missing piece," said Perez. "Titles aren't easy to come by, they've worked hard for every single one they got. So I need to work hard as well. There are still a lot of challenges.
"There's really pressure when you look at SMB's legacy," he continued. "But I'm focused on the now, what I can do at the present and what I can control."