Serge Ibaka: 5 potential landing spots in free agency
By Nate Wolf
With 2017 NBA free agency on the immediate horizon, Serge Ibaka has been mentioned in very few rumors. With that radio silence in mind, here are five teams who make sense as a landing spot for the big man.
Serge Ibaka has more or less stumbled through the last couple of years. Steven Adams overshadowed him in that thrilling 2016 Western Conference Finals, right before Oklahoma City traded him to Orlando. Then after a blah half-season in Florida, Ibaka was moved once again, this time to Toronto. He was fine with the Raptors, but did nothing to suggest he’s a long-term building block there. Now he’s a free agent.
Once touted as that rare pterodactyl rim protector with three-point range, Ibaka has stagnated. He can still shoot and block shots, but he’s not truly elite at either skill. Besides those cornerstone abilities, he can underwhelm. He’s a so-so rebounder, rarely draws fouls and almost never passes the ball.
For all his warts, however, Ibaka should still rake in $20 million or more annually. The Cameroon native can finish plays – on both ends – and that will always be valuable.
He’s a malleable player because he doesn’t need cover on defense or compromise a team’s spacing. That adaptability means his market as a free agent will be decent. For a center.
Indeed, Ibaka expressed interest in playing more center while in Orlando. Like most big men, he’s uncomfortable chasing ball-handlers around the perimeter, and if you stash him on a limited wing player, he’s too far away from the action – the rim, especially – to make much of an impact.
If he moves to center full-time, his long arms and defensive instincts would be put to better use. His offense might receive a boost, too. A lot of 4s can shoot the three nowadays, but few 5s possess that kind of range.
Teams planning to pursue Ibaka will know these things. They’ll also know he’s 27 and on the back end of his prime. A team who wants to tank won’t snag Ibaka, but a team that wants to win might. Here are five possible options.