While the basketball world is impatiently awaiting the trades of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, our favorite insiders are trolling us by announcing small moves that will not change the face of the NBA. For instance ? Serge Ibaka, who has just returned to the Bucks.
Arrived in Milwaukee during the trade deadline last February, Serge Ibaka has obviously not had time to visit Cream City, he who has just extended his stay in Wisconsin. How long? An additional year according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. No details have been given regarding Ibaka’s salary for next season but we imagine that he will be at least a veteran. Because with only six appearances during the Bucks’ Playoffs campaign, all for starving stats (1.5 points and 1.7 rebounds on average in 3.7 minutes), we cannot say that he weighed in the moments that matter. He was more accustomed to the bench, where he had the best view to see Giannis and his friends try to defend their title until Game 7 of the semis of conf ‘ once morest Boston. But if the Bucks finally agreed to bring him back, it’s probably because they imagine that Ibaka can potentially still bring things to the group.
https://t.co/VIGZXm3qjq pic.twitter.com/DG0IrA30FT
– Arthur TrashTalk (@ArthurJBaudin) July 4, 2022
It’s true that theoretically my friend Serge ticks a few interesting boxes. Known for his ability to offer his own version of 3&D, that is to say an interior profile that knows how to spread the field while protecting the hoop, Ibaka fits the Bucks system rather well. Last year he notably arrived at a period when Brook Lopez – who fulfills this role of rim protector / pivot capable of planting banderillas – was still in the infirmary, offering in the regular season a production of 7 points – 5 rebounds (50% shooting, 35% 3-pointers) in the space of 19 games including 2 as incumbent. Milwaukee needed to relieve Giannis and Bobby Portis – used on position 5 without Lopez – while waiting for the latter to return, and the trade to make sense. Today, we can have doubts regarding what Serge Ibaka can really bring to Milwaukee next year, especially since we also know that he had back problems at the end of his stint in the Clippers. However, we are talking regarding an experienced guy, champion in 2019 with Toronto and pro through and through, which can always be useful in a team looking for a new NBA title.
Serge Ibaka and the Bucks want to give themselves another chance. Does he still have juice left to contribute to a hyper-ambitious franchise like Milwaukee? The future will answer this question but at 32, Ibaka wants to prove that he is not yet burnt out.
Source texte : The Athletic
