1. Serge Ibaka, Los Angeles Clippers
While the LA Clippers may not have addressed their biggest need of getting a playmaking point guard, they improved the center position with the signing of Serge Ibaka.
Many contenders, like the Lakers and Nets, were interested in Ibaka but it was the Clippers who ultimately pried him away from Toronto. The two-year, $19 million deal reunites Ibaka with his 2019 NBA Championship-winning Toronto Raptors teammate, Kawhi Leonard.
Ibaka is a few years older than the departed Clippers’ Sixth Man of the Year candidate Montrezl Harrell, but he should be a significant improvement in a few areas.
For one, Ibaka’s size and rim-protecting abilities make him a capable defender against many of the terrifying bigs of the West. One of the Clipper’s biggest issues in their embarrassing loss to the Nuggets in the Western semifinals was their inability to defend Nikola Jokic. The seven-foot Ibaka should be more equipped to handle the likes of Jokic, Porzingis, and Davis than the undersized Harrell.
Additionally, Ibaka brings a more versatile offensive skill set. Although Harrell was scoring close to 19 points-per-game last season, almost all of his attempts came from within 10 feet of the basket.
Ibaka, on the other hand, shot almost 40 percent on 3’s last season. Ibaka will give the Clippers offensive spacing that they didn’t have with Zubac or Harrell.
The Ibaka signing is a championship-level one that helps the Clippers on both ends of the floor. His shooting ability will give their offense much more space to work with and his defensive versatility will be especially useful in the playoffs.