Serge Ibaka Trade Rumors: 5 Teams That Should Trade For Magic PF

Honorable Mentions

Detroit Pistons:

I hate to be that guy, but the Detroit Pistons were 11-10 before Reggie Jackson came back. Since his return, they’ve gone 11-17. With all those scorers on the wing, maybe what the Pistons need is an addition by subtraction move that puts a pass-first point guard like Ish Smith back in control?

The Pistons have dropped out of the playoff field in the East, putting pressure on Stan Van Gundy to right the ship after they were picked as a dark horse contender for a top-four seed. Ibaka would provide some of the three-point shooting this team sorely lacks, even if there’d be some positional overlap with Marcus Morris, Jon Leuer and Tobias Harris.

The Magic, meanwhile, would get the scoring punch they need at a position of need. The only problem is SVG might prefer to be patient rather than make a hasty move like this, especially since the Pistons would then need to worry about re-signing Ibaka in free agency this summer.

New Orleans Pelicans:

The New Orleans Pelicans need to start putting some legitimate two-way talent around Anthony Davis if they want to make the most of his prime, and Serge Ibaka would be a great complementary piece at the 4 who could help protect the rim and spread the floor on offense.

The only problem is the Pellies are sorely lacking in assets. Would a decent, versatile wing like Solomon Hill plus point guard Tim Frazier (to add another quality point guard to the backcourt) be enough to sway the Magic? If Orlando can’t get anything else, this might be the kind of offer they have to settle for.

Portland Trail Blazers:

The Portland Trail Blazers are one team that could REALLY use Ibaka as the NBA’s 25th-ranked defense, but finding a deal to match salaries and supply the Magic with a player they’d actually want is not easy.

The best option might look something like Meyers Leonard and Jake Layman, but is a backup for Aaron Gordon and a rarely used rookie enough value on the Magic’s end? And would Ibaka really make that big of a difference in Rip City to warrant yet another massive contract in free agency that keeps a mediocre albeit young core intact?