JULY 7: The Raptors have issued a press release formally confirming their new deal with Ibaka.
“We are thrilled with the skills and intangibles Serge brings to our team,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said in a statement. “He is one of the top two-way power forwards in the NBA and his ability to stretch the floor is a valuable asset today’s game.”
JULY 2: The Raptors have reached an agreement on a new deal for Serge Ibaka, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. According to Wojnarowski, Ibaka has agreed to sign a three-year contract worth $65MM to remain in Toronto.
Ibaka, who will turn 28 in February, initially joined the Raptors in a trade deadline deal back in February, as the Magic sent him to Toronto in exchange for a package that featured Terrence Ross and a first-round pick. The veteran big man averaged 14.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 1.4 BPG with a .398 3PT% down the stretch for the Raptors, and there was a sense that the two sides wanted to continue the relationship beyond this year.
Ibaka is no longer the dominant rim protector that he was during his prime years in Oklahoma City, when he led the NBA in blocks in consecutive seasons. However, he has developed into a legitimate outside threat, setting new career bests in three-point percentage (39.1%) and threes per game (1.6) in 2016/17.
With Ibaka back in the fold, it seems likely that the Raptors will also lock up free agent point guard Kyle Lowry. Ibaka and Lowry share an agent in ASM’s Andy Miller, and while the duo isn’t necessarily viewed as a package deal this summer, it makes sense for Toronto to retain both, since the team won’t have the cap flexibility to sign a comparable replacement for Lowry if he leaves. The fact that the Raptors are reportedly discussing a Cory Joseph trade with Indiana also bodes well for Lowry’s return.
[RELATED UPDATE: Raptors to re-sign Kyle Lowry]
It remains to be seen how Ibaka’s new deal with the Raptors will affect incumbent center Jonas Valanciunas. The majority of Toronto’s most effective lineups late in the 2016/17 season had Ibaka playing center, and he seems to be a better fit at the five than the four. Valanciunas would be a pricey backup at $15MM+, and if Lowry gets a big payday, the Raptors will go over the tax line, so the young center could be on the trading block again.
As Zach Lowe of ESPN.com observes (via Twitter), re-signing Lowry to a deal near the max and trading Joseph wouldn’t get the Raptors below the tax threshold. Toronto is looking to move contracts, according to Lowe, who notes that Valanciunas is the most interesting trade chip to watch, since the Raps would have to attach an asset or two to DeMarre Carroll to move his deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Dang. I wonder what Lowry’s contract will look like if he resigns
Probably something in the 3 years/$80-84 mIllion ramge
Guess not lol
Lol ya. I was way off lol.
I’m shocked he got that much
He was really good last year before he got hurt. They had to keep him, so he probably had some leverage there. The 3rd year at THAT money is what would worry me
how does this team add another all star-ish player and keep derozen, ibaka, and assuming lowry?
They don’t….
Thats a good deal for Ibaka.
Joseph, Valanciunas (as salary offset), Caboclo, Anunoby and a 2018 First Rounder seems like an accurate return for Carmelo at this point.
Knicks get young players to work with and Raptors get a scorer/competitor.
First off chill with the Melo posts. He’s not waving his no trade to go to Canada. And secondly that provides the Raptors with no cap relief, which is what this post is about…
Raptors would never do that trade. They will not give up OG.. Hes considered Kawhi Lite and they are looking at him to takeover the 3 spot once Carroll is gone.
Good deal for Toronto to get Ibaka at that price. I figured $21 or $22 million for him,but thought he could get more from someone that knows he has not been used right for a couple of years. Good for them to get a 3 year deal, and he gets back on the market at “30.”
That Derozan deal is like $4-6 million per year bad, and Valanciunas probably comes off the bench, which I think is a good fit for him. They need their young players to turn the corner and make some impact for them this year. They could use more shooting/defense on the wing, and they’ll have to figure out how to replace Patterson at the 4, b/c he was really valuable for them
You have apparently been flawless on your dumb per year predictions
I’m doing pretty well with that this year
People forget Ibaka’s only 27, so a 3 year deal would take him through his age 27-30 seasons.
Solid contract all around. I thought he’d get a player option year 3, so this is actually a better contract than I expected.
Masai Ujiri at it again (and I say this as a jealous Knick fan)
With no cap to make real external improvements the raps absolutely need JV and Carroll to step up this season and then see continued growth from Poeltl, Wright and Joseph. They could be a dangerous team again next year but a 4th seed and second round exit just isn’t good enough when you’re an aging team at the cap.