Free Agent Encore: Four Players We Like for the New Orleans Pelicans

Serge Ibaka – PF/C

2019-20 Stats – 16.0 Points, 8.3 Rebounds, 1.5 Assists

A major rotation piece for the championship winning Toronto Raptors, Serge Ibaka will be one of the more sought after players once free agency begins.

He’s a reliable power forward who can play center if needed, though Ibaka has become more of a 3-and-D big than the rim-running shot blocker he was when he came into the league.

The 2019-20 season was the last year of a 3 year/$64 million deal he signed in 2017. He’ll likely want another big deal like that as he enters his early 30’s.

New Orleans can offer him something no other team can, a front row seat to Zion, but only if he’s willing to take a cheaper deal in the summer.

He can be the leader of a young, fun, star-studded roster that’s closer to contending than it seems.

The changes Ibaka has made to his game during his career show a willingness to learn and adapt to new systems and schools of thought. A career 36.1% three-point shooter, Ibaka has been even better this season shooting 39.9% from deep on 3.3 attempts.

Ibaka’s fit alongside Zion would be nearly perfect, while his blocks are down from his younger days, he’s still a strong on-ball defender and a smart weakside player who can orchestrate the team when he’s away from the ball.

Offensively he could be asked to be more of a spot-up threat than a post player, but the New Orleans Pelicans showed this year, by playing Zion and Derrick Favors, that the team is comfortable with playing guys who don’t stretch the floor at the same time.

Ibaka can still run some possessions from the post and allow Zion to take less punishment as he continues to grow and learn the NBA.

Ibaka could be the final piece to a New Orleans Pelicans’ championship run, as he checks all of the boxes and would bring veteran toughness that the team currently lacks.

We hope you enjoyed our free agent encore.

Thanks for reading and stay safe out there!