Remember how we all thought Nikola Vucevic was the only Orlando Magic big truly on the chopping block?
Yeah, that’s not true. Serge Ibaka is right there with him, according to the Sporting News’ Sean Deveney:
It has not taken long for buyers’ remorse to kick in. League sources told Sporting News that the Magic have picked up their attempts to move Ibaka ahead of next month’s trade deadline, eager to ensure that they come away with some return for a player who does not figure to be in Orlando long. Ibaka will be a free agent this summer. There is no chance of a Biyombo trade, not after the Magic paid him $70 million for four years this offseason.
Deveney notes the Magic’s interest is rooted in the belief that he’s bolting Orlando over the summer. They want to capitalize on his value now, before it turns out that they traded Domantas Sabonis and Victor Oladipo for nothing.
The Magic can, of course, probably convince Ibaka to re-sign if they want. He will be a max-contract candidate over the summer, and the new collective bargaining agreement gives them even more of a financial advantage in pitches.
But they really shouldn’t be investing max money in another big. There’s no telling whether Vucevic will finish the year in Orlando, and Bismack Biyombo’s four-year pact isn’t going anywhere.
Unless the Magic want to continue playing Aaron Gordon at small forward (they shouldn’t), one of these towers needs to go, if not two. The question is: What can Orlando command for a 27-year-old soon-to-be free agent who has peaked in just about every statistical category?
