Getty Serge Ibaka guarding LeBron James.
Free agency is starting soon and there could be some big names on the move. After another solid year, the Toronto Raptors could lose some key contributors. One name to keep an eye on is Serge Ibaka, who is garnering interest around the league.
According to Sean Deveney of Heavy, the Los Angeles Lakers are one team that could be interested in the big man. Recently, one of Ibaka’s closest friends posted a photoshoped picture of Ibaka in a Lakers jersey. That doesn’t mean that it’s confirmed that he wants to play in Los Angeles but it’s still somewhat notable.
Ibaka also might be adding to the speculation due to a recent post on his Instagram story. He reposted a ClutchPoints graphic that showed that LeBron James and he are the two players with the most wins since 2010.
InstagramImage from Serge Ibaka’s Instagram story.
Now, it probably doesn’t mean much that he reposted the graphic but Ibaka clearly wants to keep winning. His best chance to make that happen could be to join the other winningest player in the NBA.
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Nets to Be Players for Ibaka
While the Lakers would be a great fit for Ibaka, he’s going to get interest from a number of teams. Reports have indicated that the Brooklyn Nets could be a suitor for the big man. Ibaka played with Kevin Durant for a number of years in Oklahoma City and they won a lot of games together.
If they’re going to beat the Lakers, they’re going to need someone who can stop Anthony Davis. Nobody can truly stop Davis but Ibaka is one of the best defenders in the NBA. If anybody is going to stop the Lakers superstar, it’s going to be him.
Dwight Howard Looking to Get Paid
If the Lakers pick up Ibaka, it could mean that they don’t plan to re-sign Dwight Howard. The two have similar skill sets but Ibaka is younger. The Lakers could prefer to land the former Raptor. There’s also the fact that Howard just went on about he’s planning to get paid.
“I would love to. I would love to come back and play,” Howard said recently. “You know, I think the season that we had this year was like a test for all. We were trying to learn each other and try to figure each other out, and in the process, we won a championship. I would love for all of us to come back. I would love to come back and play for the Lakers again. Hopefully this year they give me a contract … that’s the biggest thing. I don’t want to play for free anymore.”
If they’re going to demand similar contracts, Ibaka is probably the better fit. He’s still in his prime and brings more on the offensive end. Howard had a strong season for the Lakers but he’s probably not going to get a big contract from them.
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