Moving Serge To Center
Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valancuinas are an awkward fit in the starting lineup and Ibaka’s skill set is more suited to the center position in the modern NBA. So why not make the change?
The Raptors have a big man who’s a little slower than he used to be and not pulling his weight on defence the way he should be. He’s an awkward fit with the starting unit that struggles to start halves. Even though he was considered a big-ticket item when he came to town it seems like maybe it’s time for his role to change. No, I’m not talking about Jonas Valanciunas. I’m talking about Serge Ibaka.
Serge Ibaka Is Declining At Power Forward
Ibaka’s age has shown early this season and his 3-point percentages are down. He’s played almost as many games in a Raptors uniform this year as he did last year. While he did provide a spark in the second half of last season, the advanced numbers haven’t been all that kind to him in a Raps uniform. His PER, which has typically hovered around 17, sits at 14.5 in roughly half a season as a Raptor. His WS/48 in a Raptors uniform are as low as they have been for his entire career. The eye test tells a similar story. Sure, Serge was valuable for his ability to stretch the floor down the stretch last season while Patrick Patterson and others struggled to find their strokes. But he was hardly the game-changer some dreamed on prior to the trade.
It seems like Serge’s skill set is about ready to slide down a position. While he already does log a fair amount of his minutes at center, I’m talking about a full-time switch; a lineup change where Ibaka enters the game at center and only slides down to the 4 in certain big-big matchups.
Roster Machinations
But even if we acknowledge that that’s what should happen, making it happen is easier said than done. When Lucas Nogueira is healthy, the Raps already have three centers fighting for playing time, and only one natural 4 (Pascal Siakam) on the roster.
Moving Serge Ibaka to C means not only benching a productive player, it means opening up another hole on the roster. If Serge slides to center, the only natural PF on the roster becomes Pascal Siakam. Ibaka + Siakam have a NetRating of 7.4 (in just 97 minutes so far) this season, while Serge Ibaka and JV have a NetRating of 4.5. And those numbers are closer than they’ve ever been due to a couple of recent hot starts against bad teams.
More from Raptors Rapture
- Scottie Barnes talks Raptors expectations after bumpy 2022-23
- Raptors’ Dennis Schroder completes Cinderella story, wins FIBA World Cup with Germany
- 3 players Raptors could replace OG Anunoby with at trade deadline
- NBA insider praises Raptors’ hiring of “star” Darko Rajakovic
- Raptors fans will love Markquis Nowell’s insane confidence on Instagram
Presumably, Siakam slides into the starting lineup beside Serge. All things being equal, that’s an upgrade in the starting unit. But then we come to the bench unit. Presumably Jakob Poeltl or Valanciunas comes in to relieve Serge Ibaka as a bench center. Ibaka can pick up some minutes at the 4, but he doesn’t fare particularly well with either one of them. Any bench play would also cut into his rest.
Searching For A Backup 4
And so the Raptors are faced with an age-old question: trying to find a power forward. Again. It seems that every year there are problems at the position, and every year some patchwork solution is found. Then the problem pops up again the following season. First it was Luis Scola. Then it was Siakam. Now it’s Serge Ibaka.
There is one potential 4 on this roster that has seen virtually no run this season – a kid by the name of Bruno. There could be an opportunity for him to get some limited minutes in real game action to see if any of his G-League success can carry over. While I’m not advocating for a sudden promotion to full-time regular, this would give Caboclo an actual chance to play. More importantly, it would stretch the floor better and give the Raps a more cohesive starting/closing unit.
If Bruno doesn’t prove capable, then for now you’re stuck with someone like CJ Miles or OG Anunoby sliding up to the 4. Or else you end up playing extended minutes with Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas on the floor. Ironically, that’s currently the cause of all this consternation in the first place. But while it’s somewhat unavoidable, I think sliding Ibaka and Siakam into the starting lineup makes it much more matchup-dependent. Against a big, hulking center like Dwight Howard or DeMarcus Cousins, JV gets bigger minutes, while against smaller lineups you get more switchability and a stretched-out floor.
And then, of course you can consider making a trade…
Note: Stats are current as of Sunday, December 10.