ORLANDO, Fla. -- From the moment the Magic traded for power forward Serge Ibaka from the Oklahoma City Thunder in the offseason, they knew he would likely be a one-and-done player.
Well, Ibaka, an unrestricted free agent at season's end didn't even make it that far. Rather than risk getting nothing for him in the next off season, the Magic earlier today traded the power forward to the Toronto Raptors for Raptors for swingman Terence Ross and a 2017 first-round pick.
The deal slightly favors Toronto which needed a strong inside presence whereas Ross plays out on the wing. Toronto needs the muscle up front Ibaka provides as it competes with the Miami Heat, the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards for spots 2-5 in the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs with the Cleveland Cavaliers expected to take the top spot.
Ibaka was averaging shy of 15 points per game, with 6.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks for the season, but has not helped the Magic as hoped for despite being paired up front with Bismarck Biyombo up front. Even the Philadelphia 76ers have passed the Magic who are headed backwards in the standings, despite giving up some prized assets for Ibaka in Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis.
The Magic (21-36) would be cellar dwellers in the NBA Eastern Conference if not for the lowly New Jersey Nets who only have only nine wins.
The Magic saw the handwriting n the wall with the Feb. 23 trade deadline fast-approaching to get somethibng for Ibaka, who gave no indication he would re-sign with the Magic.
Eastern Conference
|
# |
Team |
W |
L |
PCT |
GB |
CONF |
DIV |
HOME |
ROAD |
L10 |
STRK |
||
|
1 |
|
37 |
16 |
.698 |
0.0 |
24-6 |
4-5 |
23-5 |
14-11 |
7-3 |
W1 |
||
|
2 |
|
36 |
19 |
.655 |
2.0 |
23-9 |
7-3 |
19-8 |
17-11 |
9-1 |
W3 |
||
|
3 |
|
33 |
21 |
.611 |
4.5 |
22-14 |
5-5 |
24-7 |
9-14 |
9-1 |
W3 |
||
|
4 |
|
32 |
23 |
.582 |
6.0 |
22-11 |
5-6 |
16-11 |
16-12 |
6-4 |
W1 |
||
|
5 |
|
32 |
23 |
.582 |
6.0 |
19-11 |
10-2 |
18-10 |
14-13 |
4-6 |
L2 |
||
|
6 |
|
29 |
26 |
.527 |
9.0 |
16-16 |
6-5 |
20-9 |
9-17 |
6-4 |
L4 |
||
|
7 |
|
26 |
29 |
.473 |
12.0 |
17-16 |
5-6 |
15-11 |
11-18 |
4-6 |
L3 |
||
|
8 |
|
26 |
30 |
.464 |
12.5 |
15-18 |
3-7 |
16-11 |
10-19 |
5-5 |
L1 |
||
|
9 |
|
24 |
30 |
.444 |
13.5 |
16-21 |
8-3 |
14-14 |
10-16 |
3-7 |
W2 |
||
|
10 |
|
24 |
31 |
.436 |
14.0 |
16-18 |
6-2 |
16-13 |
8-18 |
1-9 |
L3 |
||
|
11 |
|
24 |
32 |
.429 |
14.5 |
14-19 |
4-6 |
13-14 |
11-18 |
8-2 |
L2 |
||
|
12 |
|
23 |
33 |
.411 |
15.5 |
14-19 |
3-5 |
14-15 |
9-18 |
3-7 |
W1 |
||
|
13 |
|
21 |
34 |
.382 |
17.0 |
14-18 |
4-4 |
13-16 |
8-18 |
4-6 |
W3 |
||
|
14 |
|
21 |
36 |
.368 |
18.0 |
13-20 |
5-6 |
9-17 |
12-19 |
3-7 |
W1 |
||
|
15 |
|
9 |
46 |
.164 |
29.0 |
3-32 |
0-10 |
7-23 |
2-23 |
0-10 |
L13 |
||
Western Conference
|
# |
Team |
W |
L |
PCT |
GB |
CONF |
DIV |
HOME |
ROAD |
L10 |
STRK |
||
|
1 |
|
46 |
9 |
.836 |
0.0 |
29-7 |
9-2 |
23-3 |
23-6 |
8-2 |
L1 |
||
|
2 |
|
42 |
13 |
.764 |
4.0 |
22-8 |
6-4 |
19-6 |
23-7 |
6-4 |
W1 |
||
|
3 |
|
40 |
17 |
.702 |
7.0 |
23-9 |
7-4 |
21-6 |
19-11 |
6-4 |
W4 |
||
|
4 |
|
34 |
21 |
.618 |
12.0 |
22-13 |
6-4 |
17-8 |
17-13 |
5-5 |
W3 |
||
|
5 |
|
34 |
22 |
.607 |
12.5 |
20-15 |
5-4 |
19-11 |
15-11 |
5-5 |
L3 |
||
|
6 |
|
34 |
23 |
.596 |
13.0 |
24-12 |
6-1 |
18-10 |
16-13 |
7-3 |
W1 |
||
|
7 |
|
31 |
25 |
.554 |
15.5 |
19-14 |
6-3 |
19-8 |
12-17 |
4-6 |
L2 |
||
|
8 |
|
25 |
30 |
.455 |
21.0 |
16-19 |
5-7 |
15-12 |
10-18 |
5-5 |
W1 |
||
|
9 |
|
23 |
32 |
.418 |
23.0 |
16-19 |
5-2 |
14-13 |
9-19 |
5-5 |
L2 |
||
|
10 |
|
23 |
32 |
.418 |
23.0 |
13-17 |
3-5 |
12-15 |
11-17 |
5-5 |
W3 |
||
|
11 |
|
22 |
33 |
.400 |
24.0 |
13-22 |
2-8 |
14-14 |
8-19 |
6-4 |
L1 |
||
|
12 |
|
22 |
34 |
.393 |
24.5 |
10-21 |
2-6 |
14-15 |
8-19 |
4-6 |
W1 |
||
|
13 |
|
21 |
34 |
.382 |
25.0 |
10-21 |
2-7 |
14-17 |
7-17 |
4-6 |
W1 |
||
|
14 |
|
19 |
37 |
.339 |
27.5 |
9-23 |
4-5 |
12-13 |
7-24 |
4-6 |
W1 |
||
|
15 |
|
17 |
39 |
.304 |
29.5 |
6-32 |
2-8 |
9-18 |
8-21 |
2-8 |
L2 |
||
