Power forward Serge Ibaka has been traded from the Orlando Magic to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for swingman Terrence Ross and a 2017 first-round pick. Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical broke the news on Tuesday morning:
Orlando has agreed to trade Serge Ibaka to Toronto for Terrence Ross and a 2017 first-round pick, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 14, 2017
Serge Ibaka Traded to Toronto Raptors
Ibaka, 27, is in the final year of his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent in the coming off-season. The Magic acquired Ibaka and his $12.25 million contract in a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2016 NBA Draft. In the trade, the Magic exchanged Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova, and first-round pick Domantas Sabonis for Ibaka.
Ibaka, an eight-year NBA veteran, will provide the Raptors with experience and high-intensity defensive play, as well as consistency on offense. Toronto had been desperately searching for a starting power forward all season, and it looks like the Raptors have finally found one.
The 6’10″ forward is averaging a career-high 15.1 points, as well as 6.8 rebounds per game this season. Ibaka has been impressive on both ends of the floor, averaging nearly two blocks per game and shooting a stellar 39 percent from beyond the arc.
For the Magic, they bring in a couple of assets in Ross and the pick, which will be the later of two Raptors first-round picks in the upcoming draft.
Ibaka was selected by the Thunder with the 24th overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft. He then played one season in Spain with Ricoh Manresa, coming over to the Thunder in July 2009. Oklahoma City tied up Ibaka to a four-year, $48 million contract in August 2012.
