NBA Rumors: Boston Celtics To Acquire Serge Ibaka From The Thunder?
The Boston Celtics were once again ousted in the first round of the NBA Playoffs this season and are shifting their attention to the upcoming offseason. Brad Stevens has seen improvement in his Celtics’ team over the past couple of years, but the team needs to bring in a big piece or two this offseason if they want to be a serious Eastern Conference contender.
Ryan Davis of Chat Sports opined that the Celtics could acquire Serge Ibaka from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and that would be one trade target that would make perfect sense for Boston.
Ibaka would help fill many different voids that the Celtics have had over the past couple of years. First and foremost, he would add a big man capable of protecting the rim defensively. That has been a major need that the Celtics have had since Stevens took over the head coaching job.
Throughout the 2015-16 regular season with the Thunder, Ibaka ended up averaging 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. He shot 47.9 percent from the floor overall and knocked down 32.6 percent of his attempts from behind the three-point arc.
Boston would have to give up a good trade package in return consisting of picks and maybe a young player or two. A young player that would be intriguing to see in Oklahoma City would be Smart, who was the Celtics’ No. 6 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He would fit nicely into the up-tempo system that the Thunder run and would help fill a scoring need off the bench.
Offense isn’t what Ibaka is primarily known for, but he has improved his game immensely on that side of the court.
Over the past couple of seasons, Ibaka has added a much more consistent mid-range game to his offense. He has also extended his range out to three-point distance. Both of those skills would be of help to the Celtics if they were able to acquire him.
Whether Danny Ainge will be willing to give up as much as the Thunder will be asking for is the main question. He has been searching for trades that would net a star in recent history, but has failed to find one. Ibaka may not be considered a “star” at this point in time, although he has much more potential work his way into it and will put up consistently big numbers.
There is no question that Ibaka would be a perfect fit within the Celtics’ system. He brings everything that the team desperately needs on both ends of the court from a big man.
Oklahoma City will have to decide whether breaking up their core players is a good idea. Ibaka hasn’t been the impact player that he once was due to the increase in depth and presence of Enes Kanter. Kanter would immediately step into more playing time if the Thunder decided to trade Ibaka.
Expect to hear rumors surround the Celtics throughout the upcoming offseason. Ibaka is a legitimate trade target, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see Oklahoma City consider dealing him if the right deal is offered.
Do you think that the Boston Celtics should pursue a trade for Serge Ibaka with the Oklahoma City Thunder? Would Ibaka be the missing piece that the Celtics have been needing to find over the last couple seasons? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
[AP Photo/J Pat Carter]
