There's a possibility the Philippines will be playing without the service of naturalized big man Andray Blatche following reports indicating the big man's problem with getting permit from Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball League.

According to Manila Bulletin, the 6-foot-10 former NBA veteran hasn't yet received a green light from Flying Tigers to join the Philippine men's basketball team in the upcoming FIBA Asia Championship, making his participation in the Olympic qualifier doubtful.

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However, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Sonny Barrios assured there's nothing to worry as he expects Blatche to honor his live contract with the Philippines.

"Barrios made the assurance in the wake of a Manila Bulletin report saying Blatche failed to get a release from his club team in Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, to play for the Fiba-Asia Championship," according to Spin.ph.

Although Blatche's participation in FIBA Asia is still a toss-up, Barrios believed the former Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards big man will suit up for the Philippine national team, who is gunning for its first appearance in the Summer Games for the first time since the 1972 Munich Olympics.

"Barrios made no assurance during the same session that Blatche will play for Gilas in the Olympic qualifier, but said the SBP leadership expects the former Brooklyn Net to arrive and is in fact in the process of looking for a place for him to stay while in training with the national team in Manila," via Spin.ph.

The Philippines is reportedly scheduled to announce the players who will comprise the team for the Changsha tiff (September 23 to October 4). According to source, 11 of the 15 players on the team are holdovers from last year's FIBA World Championship contingent with Terrence Romeo, Sonny Thoss, Marc Barroca and 7-foot Greg Slaughter the fresh faces on the squad.

While they are expected to breeze through the preliminary rounds as they are bracketed in perhaps the weakest in four groups (Group B - Palestine, Kuwait, East Asia), the Philippines is in for a dogfight in the knockout stages in which they could be on a collision course with Asian heavyweights Korea, Iran or even host country China as early as the quarterfinal round.

The FIBA Asia Championship serves as the qualifier for the 2016 Rio Olympics with the gold medalist getting the automatic spot while the silver and bronze medalist going through another round of qualification in next year's FIBA World Qualifying Tournament.

TagsFIBA Asia Championship 2015 rumors, FIBA Asia Championship brackets, Jun Mar Fajardo, PBA rumors