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Serge Ibaka traded from Oklahoma City Thunder to Orlando Magic
Ibaka is better than his numbers showed on Thunder. Oladipo is a good add for Thunder.
Ibaka is better than his numbers showed on Thunder. Oladipo is a good add for Thunder.
The Orlando Magic have agreed to acquire forward Serge Ibaka in a multiplayer trade Thursday night, sources confirmed to ESPN.
The Thunder will receive guard Victor Oladipo, forward Ersan Ilyasova and the rights to power forward Domantas Sabonis, who was taken with the 11th pick in the NBA draft on Thursday night, sources confirmed.
Ibaka, a first-round pick of the Thunder organization in 2008, turns 26 in September. He agreed to a four-year extension in 2012 worth $48 million and is owed $12.25 million in 2016-17. A move would give the Thunder some added salary-cap room with Kevin Durant set to become a free agent on July 1 and Russell Westbrook able to hit the open market next offseason.
Ibaka is a three-time NBA all-defensive player. He led the league in blocks for four straight seasons, before finishing fourth in the category in 2014-15 and third last season. He has also added some longer-range shooting to his game, averaging 1.7 3-pointers per game in 2015-16, tied for second on the Thunder.
Ibaka called the 2015-16 season his most challenging, this after averaging 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game -- his lowest marks in four years.
He was asked to be a do-everything forward, something he admitted after the season was difficult mentally.
"No more fake 4," Ibaka said at exit interviews, after the Thunder were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in seven games of the Western Conference finals.
"My mind is ready to play 1, 2, 3, 4. Yeah, it wasn't easy playing different roles and both ends of the floor. But it was good for us, good for the team. It was helpful, and that's why we got this far, because everybody did their job."
The 6-foot-10 Ibaka said after the season that he wasn't concerned about his contract entering the offseason.
"I'm not thinking, and I'm not talking about this," Ibaka told reporters. "I'm still a Thunder. I'm going to wear the Thunder jersey next year, too, so there's nothing to talk about right now, because it's not important."
The Thunder will receive guard Victor Oladipo, forward Ersan Ilyasova and the rights to power forward Domantas Sabonis, who was taken with the 11th pick in the NBA draft on Thursday night, sources confirmed.
Ibaka, a first-round pick of the Thunder organization in 2008, turns 26 in September. He agreed to a four-year extension in 2012 worth $48 million and is owed $12.25 million in 2016-17. A move would give the Thunder some added salary-cap room with Kevin Durant set to become a free agent on July 1 and Russell Westbrook able to hit the open market next offseason.
Ibaka is a three-time NBA all-defensive player. He led the league in blocks for four straight seasons, before finishing fourth in the category in 2014-15 and third last season. He has also added some longer-range shooting to his game, averaging 1.7 3-pointers per game in 2015-16, tied for second on the Thunder.
Ibaka called the 2015-16 season his most challenging, this after averaging 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game -- his lowest marks in four years.
He was asked to be a do-everything forward, something he admitted after the season was difficult mentally.
"No more fake 4," Ibaka said at exit interviews, after the Thunder were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in seven games of the Western Conference finals.
"My mind is ready to play 1, 2, 3, 4. Yeah, it wasn't easy playing different roles and both ends of the floor. But it was good for us, good for the team. It was helpful, and that's why we got this far, because everybody did their job."
The 6-foot-10 Ibaka said after the season that he wasn't concerned about his contract entering the offseason.
"I'm not thinking, and I'm not talking about this," Ibaka told reporters. "I'm still a Thunder. I'm going to wear the Thunder jersey next year, too, so there's nothing to talk about right now, because it's not important."