MANILA, Philippines -- The Alaska Aces have sent versatile forward Calvin Abueva to the Phoenix Fuel Masters, ending a six-year run with “The Beast.”

“We would like to thank Calvin for his six years of service with Alaska and the good memories,” Alaska coach Alex Compton said in a statement. “We felt as a franchise it was best for both Alaska and Calvin to have a fresh start at this time.”

In exchange, the Aces will receive a 2019 first-round draft pick along with guard Karl Dehesa.

The trade will reunite Abueva with his collegiate coach, Topex Robinson, who is currently Louie Alas’s chief deputy in Phoenix.

“It's nice to work with him again after everything that he's been through,” Robinson said Tuesday afternoon, ahead of Lyceum of the Philippines University’s NCAA game against De La Salle-College of St. Benilde. “He’s gonna change Phoenix.”

Robinson is hopeful that the trade will be of help to Abueva, who has been in the middle of a tough stretch in his career. He was indefinitely suspended by the Aces after going AWOL after the All-Star weekend, and was also banned for six games from FIBA competition for his involvement in the Gilas Pilipinas-Australia brawl last July 2.

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Alaska selected Abueva with the second pick of the 2012 PBA Rookie Draft. He went on to win Rookie of the Year honors, and helped Alaska claim the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown. He was the Best Player of the Conference in the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

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