The NBA held its annual rookie draft a couple of days ago and team transactions were expectedly around. One of the more popular player swaps that happened before the 2016 NBA Draft was that one between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Orlando Magic.
Long-time Oklahoma City Thunder bruiser Serge Ibaka got shipped for a rising wing player in Victor Oladipo of the Orlando Magic, a move that brings back memories of former players like James Harden and Reggie Jackson.
Though Serge Ibaka brought something different to the table, the fact remains that he wanted more than what the Thunder were able to give him in terms of playing time.
Recalling why Harden and Jackson left
The Thunder had a pretty competitive team several years back, having players like James Harden and Reggie Jackson in tow as mentioned on Yahoo Sports.
Seeing that the team focused on the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook tandem, other players had to play second fiddle. Harden and Jackson were talented and wanted something more so their respective trades to the Houston Rockets and the Detroit Pistons were made.
Ibaka case not so different
There were two things singled out on why the Thunder opted to get rid of Ibaka now rather than next year.
First, Ibaka was in the final year of his contract and will likely ask for more money. The Thunder are unlikely to oblige meaning he would be good as lost anyway. Despite proving his importance for the past couple of years, Ibaka was likely to be lost anyway.
Second, Ibaka wanted more opportunity and touches. Though he does lack a post-up game, he does make up for it with his tenacity on both ends of the court. He reportedly sounded this off according to ESPN but none of that is likely to happen soon with Durant and Westbrook around.
In short, Ibaka was seen to follow the footsteps of Harden and Jackson at some point. The problem is Ibaka needs to prove (with the Magic) that he deserves a fat contract and the he can do more than rebound and defend.
Will the Thunder struggle withouth 'Serge'?
There is no doubt that the Thunder will be different next season. While they do have Enes Kanter and Steven Adams are there, OKC will miss a little bit of agility.
Oladipo becomes another offensive option for coach Billy Donovan, another potential reason why the Thunder pulled the trigger.
For the Magic, they just got tougher but now find themselves with limited wing options by dealing Oladipo.
