Toronto Raptors small forward Terrence Ross. (Photo : Getty Images)
The NBA trade rumors continue as trade restrictions will be lifted on December 15. The Orlando Magic is a team on the prowl.
In a report, the Orlando Sentinel depicted the woes of their team and their plan to solve it.
"The Orlando Magic will sift through the trade market in an effort to add a scorer, a league source with knowledge of the situation told the Orlando Sentinel," the report stated.
The Magic does have contributors as they state, but there is a certain scorer that type of player they're looking for.
"Four Magic players average double figures in scoring: Evan Fournier, Ibaka, Nikola Vucevic and Elfrid Payton. But the team lacks a go-to scorer who can create his own shot or generate buckets when the rest of the offense has lost its rhythm."
The Magic is a team loaded with young talent but they needed a veteran leader. They rolled the dice on a trade for Serge Ibaka from the Oklahoma City Thunder, but Ibaka is not at all a "go-to" scorer.
In the past season, Ibaka's role with the Thunder was diminished as Steven Adams took the cudgels of being their top frontcourt player. A trade to the Magic seemed timely for him. However, the Magic failed to address their need for a scorer in free agency, opting to sign Bismack Biyombo, a defensive specialist like Ibaka. Orlando also lost Victor Oladipo who was not a reliable shooter, but he could have added to the offense.
Now, the Magic will have to deal with Ibaka's free agency and they don't really have a compelling reason for him to stay unless they overpay him. The option now is to trade him.
An ideal destination for Ibaka would be the Toronto Raptors. The Raps lost their defensive anchor (Biyombo) and they also need a power forward who can play alongside their center Jonas Valanciunas.
Ibaka fits the bill and they also have a scorer in Terrence Ross. Ross was often discussed in trade scenarios because of his hefty contract (which now looks like a bargain compared to the contracts signed last summer). In Raptors Rapture, a trade with the Magic involved Nikola Vucevic but that was prior to the Magic's trade for Serge.
It makes a lot of sense on paper but the Raptors may be wary of Ibaka's free agency. Still, they are a winning team in the East and if they can challenge the Cavs, they have enough reason to convince Ibaka to re-sign.
