Serge Ibaka Rumors: Contenders Making ‘Aggressive’ Push to Lure PF from Raptors

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

A rising demand for Serge Ibaka may complicate the Toronto Raptors’ quest to re-sign their backup forward.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, contenders in both the Eastern and Western Conferences are “aggressively” trying to lure the 31-year-old free agent out of Toronto after four seasons. 

Michael Grange of Sportsnet reported Ibaka has received as many as ten offers, including some above mid-level compensation. 

The big man averaged a career-high 15.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists while playing 27 minutes per night. Though he saw slightly fewer minutes during the playoffs in 2019-20, Ibaka still posted 14.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per postseason contest. 

The start of free agency has seen a run of bigs with Mason Plumlee agreeing to a three-year, $25 million deal with Detroit, Meyers Leonard re-signing with the Miami Heat for two years, Derrick Favors landing with the Utah Jazz, and Patrick Peterson staying with the Los Angeles Clippers. 

After starting his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Ibaka seems to have found his comfort zone with the Raptors and told Sportsnet’s Matt Rodrigo in April he had no intention of leaving.

“I’m going to stay, bro.” Ibaka said. “This place is beautiful. … It’s a beautiful city, beautiful people here and then we have one of the best teams. Why leave?”

It appears other contenders may have given him the reason he needed. 

Toronto will have to work harder than it expected in order to keep a key piece of its rotation with the Raptors.