Something needed to be done. And after weeks of seeing their defensive
efficiency take an absolute beating, the Toronto Raptors hope they have found a
solution by reportedly trading for Serge Ibaka.
The Raptors are sending a first-round Draft pick and swingman Terrence Ross to
the Orlando Magic in the deal, first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski at The
Vertical:
Toronto has struggled to find a perfect fit at the power forward position, and
the addition of Ibaka would seem to solve that. An athletic defender with the
ability to knock down spot-up jumpers, Ibaka would seem to be an ideal
compliment to the play of Toronto’s dynamic backcourt duo of Kyle Lowry and
DeMar DeRozan.
Ibaka is not the same defensive presence he was earlier in his career. He spent
the first seven seasons of his career alongside Kevin Durant and Russell
Westbrook in Oklahoma City before being traded to Orlando over the summer. But
he remains a physical presence capable of being an impact player around the rim
on both ends of the floor.
With free agency looming for Ibaka this summer, recent reports suggested the
Magic were concerned with their ability to re-sign Ibaka to a long-term deal.
Toronto reportedly hopes they will be able to convince him to re-sign.
Ibaka’s addition to a Raptors team that battled Cleveland in the Eastern
Conference finals last season also gives Jonas Valanciunas some security in the
frontcourt. Toronto played much of the 2016 postseason without Valanciunas, who
suffered an ankle injury in the first round against Miami.
Ibaka, who is averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks, is just 27. So
the Raptors are getting a player who fits perfectly with their core of All-Stars
DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Valanciunas.
Whether or not he pushes them back into the mix for that No. 2 spot in the
Eastern Conference standings behind Cleveland, however, remains to be seen.
