NBA Rumors: Los Angeles Lakers to target Serge Ibaka in free agency?
NBA Rumors: Lakers expected to target Serge Ibaka
Fresh off winning an NBA championship in an unprecedented season, life won’t get any easier for the Los Angeles Lakers in their pursuit to defend their title heading into the 2020-21 season. After having to win a championship in a bubble, you can make the case that what lies ahead of them in 2021 will be even more difficult.
In 2021, they’ll have to compete with an LA Clippers team that will have a chip on its shoulder, a better and more experienced Denver Nuggets team, and a healthy Golden State Warriors team. And that’s just in the Western Conference.
In the Eastern Conference, we’ll also see the return of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving with the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat will all be better.
More from Sir Charles In Charge
- Dillon Brooks proved his value to Houston Rockets in the 2023 FIBA World Cup
- NBA Trade Rumors: 1 Player from each team most likely to be traded in-season
- Golden State Warriors: Buy or sell Chris Paul being a day 1 starter
- Does Christian Wood make the Los Angeles Lakers a legit contender?
- NBA Power Rankings: Tiering all 30 projected starting point guards for 2023-24
If LeBron James and the Lakers are going to repeat, they’ll be no gripes about this championship. No asterisk. It’s setting up to be arguably LeBron’s tallest task, even with Anthony Davis by his side.
In an attempt to improve the roster before the start of the 2020-21 season, which is scheduled for December 22, it’s rumored that the Lakers will/could target Serge Ibaka in free agency. As expected, the one big problem with this idea isn’t whether he’d fit alongside Davis or LeBron. Instead, it’s whether or not he’d be willing to accept the type of contract that the Lakers could afford this offseason.
The Lakers could offer their mid-level exception ($9.8 million) to Ibaka, but would likely have to part ways with Rajon Rondo in that situation. If they split that up between two or more players, it could make a decision even more difficult considering what other types of options Ibaka is expected to receive on the open market.
Los Angeles would also have a bi-annual exception ($4 million) available to spend as well.
The Lakers will likely just be one of many teams interested in Serge Ibaka’s services this offseason, including the Toronto Raptors, a team he won a championship with just two seasons ago.
In today’s NBA, Ibaka has emerged as quite a valuable player. He can defender the rim and stretch the defense with his 3-point shooting. At just 31 years old, Ibaka could still have more than a few impactful years remaining to give to a contender. Coming off a season in which he averaged 15 points and eight rebounds on 51 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent shooting from the field, in a mostly reserve role, that much was evident.
Next. NBA Mock Draft: Boston Celtics trade into top 10; Deni Avdija jumps to No. 1. dark
Serge Ibaka makes plenty of sense for many teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers. It will all come down to what Ibaka will be seeking on the open market.