MANILA : Paul Lee, the biggest name in the PBA free agent market this off-season, might just find his way back to where it all started after all.

The star point guard, who was incommunicado ever since coming back from Spain together with other members of the Gilas Pilipinas squad more than a week ago, finally spoke to Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao with both seeming to have come to terms.

Lee went into literal hiding after arriving last Tuesday, electing not to talk to Rain or Shine management and Guiao before finally coming out of his recluse Tuesday to have initial talks that turned out well.

“I talked to coach Yeng and he told me that he wants to retain me,” Lee said in Filipino over the phone as the contract negotiations that got very ugly the past month finally showed some good signs.

“I also told him that I want to stay,” he continued. “At least, it’s OK between coach Yeng and I. It’s now just up to my agent to talk to Rain or Shine management so we could finish this (contract extension renewal).

“There’s no timetable for this, although I want it to happen as soon as possible,” added the member of the league’s Mythical Second Team last season. “I want to have a contract because Gilas is leaving this week (for Incheon, South Korea for the Asian Games).”

Rain or Shine had offered Lee the maximum allowable amount of P15.12 million for a three-year renewal close to two months ago, which Lee’s agent, Lawrence Chongson advised his ward not to sign.

Making matters worse was Chongson announcing to the media, through a text message, that Lee wanted out of Rain or Shine to explore other options despite being offered the huge pact.

That announcement took place a few days before Lee’s pact was to expire last Aug. 31, fuelling speculations that Chongson was already representing Lee in talking to other teams which was in violation of league rules on contract tampering.

It got worse after that as even the mother of the player couldn’t get a hold of his son, with Chongson even making a mockery of Rain or Shine’s effort to reach Lee through his mother.

Because of the Lee case and because of what is happening with a couple of other big names still without contracts just over a month before the 40th Season starts, commissioner Chito Salud also on Tuesday reiterated the league’s stand that mother clubs will be protected first and foremost.

Jay Washington of Globalport is also holding out, and Danny Ildefonso, the former two-time MVP in the twilight of his career, is also asking for an outrageous pact from expansion team Blackwater Elite.

“The league will protect the rights, not just of the players, but most especially the mother ball clubs. That is why we have rules — the right of first refusal,” Salud said. “We will not allow any ball club to be held hostage by any player and I do not care which player we are talking about.

“Let’s follow the rules,” Salud added. “Agents, do not mislead your players, because in the long run, it is the players who will suffer. So please, show more concern to your players.”

Ildefonso, who spent his best years with San Miguel Beer from the late 1990s, did not sign the Blackwater offer and had threatened to retire instead.

The season opens on Oct. 19 with the Philippine Cup and the league is actually looking at staging it at the 50,000-seat Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.