5 free agents the Miami Heat should target in 2017 free agency
By Frank Urbina
5. Serge Ibaka, PF, Orlando Magic
Serge Ibaka is a familiar foe for Heat fans. He was the starting power forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder back when they played in the 2012 NBA Finals against Miami. More recently, his Orlando Magic beat the Heat after he nailed a pretty difficult shot to force overtime. So I get it, we don’t like him very much.
That doesn’t change the fact that he’s still a solid player, and would be a great addition to the roster. Ibaka is averaging 16 points and pulling down seven boards per game for Orlando. He’s shooting 49 percent overall, and 38 percent from three, while blocking almost two shots a night.
Whiteside and Ibaka would be an absolute force defensively. Combined, the two are averaging almost four blocks, and would make scoring around the rim extremely difficult for opponents. Ibaka has the athleticism to chase around opposing power forwards while Whiteside manned the paint.
Offensively, the duo would fit nicely too. Ibaka, the outside threat, and Whiteside, the rim-running post player. Ibaka is a very adept spot-up three-point shooter at 37 percent. For reference, that’s a higher rate than Richardson, Wayne Ellington, and Dion Waiters, Miami’s main three-point specialists. Obviously, putting a shooter at the four next to Whiteside is also vital to his success. Clogging the paint with another non-shooter would limit his effectiveness, and the team’s as a whole.
Further, Ibaka may not be the greatest distributor ever (currently averaging only one assist), but has shown flashes of improvement this season. Here you can see him drive it in from his corner spot and find Nikola Vucevic for a layup.
Ibaka’s growing ability to make plays like that one (or this one) would help the Heat’s front-court reach heights that aren’t possible with Luke Babbit or Derrick Williams.