After acquiring Serge Ibaka prior to the 2017 NBA season, the Orlando Magic may be making plans to move him as the season slips away.
According to Sean Deveney Sporting News, the Orlando Magic are intensifying their efforts to trade Serge Ibaka.
An impending free agent, Serge Ibaka is probably not going to be a player the Orlando Magic build around. With Ibaka as one of the team’s top options, Orlando sits with a 19-30 record and well out of playoff contention. Odds are, even if the Magic wanted him back, Ibaka would opt to go to a better team trying to contend for a championship.
That seems to be the feeling. Deveney reports Ibaka seems likely to seek out a team closer to contending. The Magic, barely hanging in the Playoff race, certainly does not fit that mold.
What the Magic are looking for, might be the big hangup at the moment. The Magic are asking for a lot.
After trading both Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Ibaka, the Magic have not shown improvements in the win column. They were recently surpassed by both the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers. Moving Ibaka could spell the end and lead to blowing up the Magic roster yet again.
According to Deveney, the Magic reportedly are asking for a lot of young assets or draft picks. Teams are not quite ready to budge.
"“They’re asking too much,” one front office executive said. “(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 desire to take on an Ibaka rental will likely increase as teams assess their needs closer to the deadline. So too will that asking price go down as the Magic become more determined to make a deal with the deadline looming.
In a disappointing season for the Magic, Ibaka has played fairly well. He is averaging just less than 15 points per game, with 6.8 rebounds per game and 1.6 blocks per game. His defense has taken a hit. He has not helped the Magic become the defensive team many expected.
Orlando has tried to pair Ibaka with Bismack Biyombo, and that has not worked. The Magic planned on having a stellar defensive front court and that hasn’t been the case.
Sporting News said the Toronto Raptors have had interest in Ibaka filling the void in their front court, but refuse to give up Terrence Ross. It seems Ibaka is causing some contending teams to at least test the waters.
Some other possible suitors for Ibaka are the Boston Celtics, who need help in the front court and the Houston Rockets.
Ibaka is not the only Orlando player with trade rumors swirling above his head. Mario Hezonja is getting some interest on the trade market.
According to Keith Smith of RealGM, teams have begun to show interest in Mario Hezonja.
Several teams have inquired about the availability of Mario Hezonja from ORL. No solid offers yet, as teams fear Hezonja's attitude issues.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) January 30, 2017
After less than two seasons with the Magic, it would be a bold move for Orlando to give up on a top-five pick. But Hezonja has been received minimal chances to prove his worth. With so much potential, it will be interesting to see if teams will give Hezonja another chance.
Next: Orlando Magic using Serge Ibaka to solve 3-point problem
The Magic are not sitting idly by as the trade deadline approaches. But there is still nearly three weeks before decision date and the Magic may well be content to waiting to see if anything better shakes out.