It appears Nikola Vucevic isn’t the only member of the Orlando Magic who has caught the Boston Celtics’ eye.
The Magic have “picked up their attempts” to try to trade big man Serge Ibaka before the NBA trade deadline, Sporting News reported Monday, citing league sources. And apparently the Celtics could be willing suitors — the Sporting News’ Sean Deveney notes the C’s “need some frontcourt defensive depth,” while Keith Smith of FanRag Sports lists Boston as one of several teams with interest in Ibaka.
A rebounding, rim-protecting big man like Ibaka would fill an obvious need for the Celtics, who own the second-best record in the Eastern Conference but rank 26th in the NBA in rebounding differential and 27th in second-chance points allowed per game.
That weakness was on full display Monday night when Boston beat the Detroit Pistons 113-109 but was out-rebounded 62-52 and allowed 60 points in the paint.
Ibaka, 27, has made the NBA’s All-Defensive first team three times and led the league in blocks twice while with the Oklahoma City Thunder. His defensive and rebounding numbers have declined in recent years, though — despite averaging 14.9 points per game in his first season with the Magic, the 6-foot-10 big man is registering just 6.8 rebounds per game, the third-lowest total of his career, and 1.6 blocks per game, his lowest total since his rookie year.
Ibaka is in the final year of a four-year, $49.4 million contract and is set to become a free agent after the 2016-17 season.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
