The Magic are viewing last summer’s trade for Serge Ibaka as a “calculated risk” that didn’t work out, relays Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. To obtain the veteran power forward, Orlando sent Victor Oladipo and Ersan Ilyasova to Oklahoma City, along with the 11th pick in the 2016 draft, which became Domantas Sabonis. Less than a year later, the Magic shipped Ibaka to the Raptors in exchange for Terrence Ross and a pick that will fall toward the end of the first round. Ibaka played 56 games for the Magic, averaging 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per night, but the team was just 21-36 with him on the roster.
“I think if you go back in time, you look at what was needed for us in the frontcourt and some of the voids we thought we had on the roster,” explained GM Rob Hennigan. “Then, you balance that with the logjam we had at the two guard at the time with Evan [Fournier] and Victor, we felt like it made sense. Sometimes you have to take a few shots down the field. Sometimes it pans out; sometimes it won’t. I applaud our aggressiveness. I think given the same situation, circumstantially, we would make the same trade. Sometimes, things don’t work out as you plan. I think it’s important to be proactive in trying to rectify that too.”
There’s more NBA news from the Sunshine State:
- Ross was inactive for tonight’s game, according to a tweet from the Magic. The team wasn’t notified before game time that both players passed their physicals and the deal was finalized, according to Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
- The Heat had been tied to Ibaka in trade rumors, but weren’t interested in trying to top Toronto’s offer, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. They were reluctant to give up much for a player who will be a free agent after the season and who may be older than his listed age of 27. Also, Miami wasn’t able to offer a first-round pick this year because its 2018 first-rounder may be shipped to Phoenix. Winderman notes that Tyler Johnson can block any trade until July and that most of the roster wouldn’t have enticed the Magic. The writer believes Josh Richardson would have been Miami’s best offer.
- A call from Heat president Pat Riley might have convinced Dwyane Wade to stay in Miami, the Bulls star says in a podcast with Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Wade opted to sign with Chicago last summer after negotiations with the Heat stalled. “I love Pat and I know he loves me,” Wade said. “The fact that we didn’t talk, that hurt. That was my deciding factor when it came down to the end of the day and he didn’t show he wanted me there. I know the Arison family loved me and wanted me there. I know Spo [coach Erik Spoelstra] wanted me there.”
Wade is such a crybaby. “He didn’t give me a hug, man. If he would have just held me in his arms, I would have stayed.”
Wade priced himself out of Miami. Hugs or no hugs Riley wasn’t paying a nickel more than the $20m / year he offered and Wade wanted much more because he was loved.
Wrong! Wade was underpaid his whole career with the Heat and they owe him all the money Pat promised to pay and Pat doesn’t know how to keep his promises and keep telling Wade to take a pay cut. I understand his point and he had enough of Pat’s crap! If it wasn’t for Wade, Heat wouldn’t even win a title!
Wade chose to be underpaid and he agreed to those salaries by his own will. He’s not owed anything from anyone.
Wade wasn’t the only one getting paid cuts, + he wouldn’t gotten the rings he has now.
Henningan should be fired for that quote arguably even more so than what he did in the last year
Orlando has a crowded front court with no wings and a poor shooting back court. They imposed a little too much offensive focus who was really acquired for his former defensive reputation.
Although inconsistent, Ross is a decent wing defender and streaky on the 3 line. He is tied for the franchise mark with a 51 pt explosion better. And under control on a reasonable contract. The pick is a little currency
In the end, I believe the Heat did throw in their exemption money, which brought the 2 year deal to over $40 mil. I’m a huge DWade fan, and it hurt to see him leave, but in reality, the Heat would be having this same conversation after next year about how much to pay your organization’s top dawg, and it would have slowed down the process of overhauling the roster. Any questions – review the Lakers record from the last 4 years. (hint: it wasn’t Buss or Kupchak’s fault they sucked)
How does a completely useless player like Wade get paid that much money to skip practices and half the games while whining to the media? Oh, wait… Rose.
ChiSoxCity – “useless player like Wade”? Can’t argue with someone who starts with that assumption. But the whining in the media? Let me just remind you that Rondo was a pill in Boston (only kept somewhat in line by the veterans), couldn’t work with Rick Carlisle in Dallas, was a member of the insane asylum that is in Sacramento, and now gets benched by the Bulls. Maybe, just maybe, Wade and Butler have a different, yes ‘better, approach than Rondo. Work on that 15’ jumper Rajon, which you can’t hit consistently, stop being a tool, and respect your vets, and one day, you might be respected yourself.