The Magic have “picked up their attempts” to trade Serge Ibaka before next month’s deadline, league sources tell Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. According to Deveney, Orlando has experienced some “buyers’ remorse” after trading for Ibaka last summer, and the team is looking to get something for him to avoid the risk of losing him for nothing in free agency.
Although Deveney suggests that there’s pessimism about Ibaka re-signing with the Magic this summer, he adds that people around the NBA aren’t sure what the former Oklahoma City big man will do in free agency, which complicates his trade market. Teams would be unwilling to give up a significant return to rent Ibaka for a few months.
“They’re asking too much,” one front office executive said of the Magic, per Deveney. “(The Magic) would probably like to make a few moves there, but Ibaka is the one they’re really pushing because he is going to leave. But they have had too high a price. They want a young player and a pick, two young players — you know, a package that can get them back some assets. They’re not going to get that. Not for three, maybe four months of Serge Ibaka.”
The Magic surrendered their 2016 lottery pick (Domantas Sabonis) along with Victor Oladipo and Ersan Ilyasova when they acquired Ibaka, signaling that they expected the 27-year-old to be a part of the long-term plan. However, the club has struggled this season and appears to be slipping out of playoff contention, with a 19-30 record, reducing the odds of Ibaka wanting to re-sign with Orlando in July.
General manager Rob Hennigan said last week that he expects to be “aggressive” in pursuing ways to improve Orlando’s roster, and addressing the club’s frontcourt logjam would be a good place to start. With Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo joining a group that already featured Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon, there aren’t enough minutes to go around, and Gordon has spent a lot of time playing out of position.
According to Deveney, there’s “no chance” of a trade involving Biyombo, who signed a four-year, $68MM deal last summer. Gordon is also a key part of the Magic’s long-term plan, which leaves Ibaka and Vucevic as possible trade candidates. We heard last week that the Celtics were among the teams to talk to Orlando about Vucevic.
As for Ibaka, even if he’s no more than a rental piece, there should be several teams with interest in talking to the Magic about a deal. Deveney identifies the Celtics, Rockets, and Raptors as a few potential suitors, though he cites a source who says Toronto isn’t very interested in giving up Terrence Ross in a trade for Ibaka.
I’m sure GarPax will be knocking on the door with the hopes of locking in that elusive #8 seed in the East.
Hennigan has to be fired.
As an OKC fan, I still can’t understand what prompted Hennigan to want to trade us Oladipo. That’s before mentioning the pick in the lottery that was Sabonis.
Because Oladipo was not worth anywhere close to the near max contract that he was demanding and got from OKC. Ibaka allowed the Magic to fill three actual roster needs (rim protection, 3pt shooting, and experience) without any longterm guaranteed commitment.
The Magic were already way too young as it was, so adding a middling pick in Sabonis was nothing…and Sabonis isn’t anything special – you would know that if you had a starting caliber PF on your team.
More importantly, the Magic already had Fournier who is way better than Oladipo, cheaper (5y / $17m) and 6 months younger.
The only reason OKC fans are content with Oladipo is because Westbrook is having a historical season and is buoying the team into winning…if something happens to him and the attention shifts to VO, you’ll learn quickly why no one in Orlando wanted to max him out.
He would fit in perfectly with the Bulls at the 4.
Yeah send them Mrotic and Gibson for Ibaka.
A two fer that gets the Bulls a combo of what they ate giving up.
Man in a heartbeat the Raptors should give up Ross. Ibaka is exactly what they need. They would bank on the Raptors selling Ibaka on the city. Anyone who plays there loves it. These days anyways. Great team chemistry and they have a winning blueprint in the weaker of the two conferences. They stand no chance of luring players out of FA. But having 3 months and a deep playoff run to sell him is worth the Ross risk. Not to mention. The Raptors are needing better D pieces. Ross is not consistent and watching Ibaka and the Magic shut them down last night by making anyone other than Dero and Lowry have to score. Ibaka coming available could be big for Toronto
Worst trade I’ve seen in a while
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Ibaka to Chicago for Mirotic and McDermott. Maybe to Philadelphia for Okafor and Noel.
My bias loves this, but does it really make the magic better? Not trying to argue, asking myself this as well
Maybe Noel and draft pick.
Maybe Noel, draft pick, and another player.
I can’t see Noel and Okafor going together
I wouldn’t do that, if for anything the Magic would inherit the same problem as the Sixers have, they can’t play together.
philly wouldn’t do that
76ers would be not to do that deal, I can see the Celtics grab them they need a big man,
Spurs magic trade
Spurs get serge ibaka,jeff green
Magic get pau gasol ,danny green
Salarys match up and both teams can boost their lineup!!