TNT eyes Marquese Chriss or Darius Days to replace Bol Bol

TNT Tropang 5G coach Chot Reyes during a game vs Meralco Bolts in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–TNT has set its sights on former Marquese Chriss and a familiar name in Darius Days as potential replacements to Bol Bol for the remainder of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.

Team manager Jojo Lastimosa is hoping that either of them could arrive in time for Sunday’s Game 3 of the Tropang 5G’s semifinal series with the Meralco Bolts after Bol sustained a partial tear on his Achilles.

Lastimosa confirmed that Bol is done for the rest of the conference, and he immediately scrambled to find a replacement, especially with the series all even at 1-1.

“The first option is a bigger guy (Chriss), and our second option is our standby import for the third conference (Days),” Lastimosa said after TNT’s 87-76 defeat on Friday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Days is being groomed as the team’s reinforcement for the season-ending Governors’ Cup, which starts in July, though TNT is already familiar with the 26-year-old, having played for the team in preseason games in 2024 before bringing back Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

Chriss, meanwhile, is the more established name after playing 292 NBA games for the Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks from 2016 to 2022.

“He’s the first guy that we’re looking at,” Lastimosa said of the 6-foot-9 Chriss, who is coming off a stint in China for Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin.

There will be some drawbacks before one of them can suit up for TNT for Sunday, as the team needs to complete some paperwork and inform the league of the change before Saturday’s 12 noon deadline.

Jet lag and familiarity with coach Chot Reyes’ system are also concerns.

“We can follow-up the GAB requirements if it’s an emergency situation.” Lastimosa said. “And they also have to fly in quickly. Darius is in Florida and Marquese is in the West Coast, so if they leave right away, they’ll probably be here by Sunday morning.”

Bol got hurt with 2:38 left in the first quarter and had to be carried by teammates and staff to the locker room. He was later rushed to the hospital for an MRI.

But TNT was already fearing the worst before Bol left the arena.

“He’s ruled out. He’s done,” Lastimos said of Bol’s status.