Serge Ibaka is a free agent at the end of the season, but he’s made it abundantly clear that he wants to re-sign with the Toronto Raptors.
When the 2019-20 NBA season is finally over, whenever that may be, the Toronto Raptors will head into the offseason with plenty of decisions to make. One of those decisions will be what to do with Serge Ibaka. If the Raptors want to bring Ibaka back, then it seems certain that he will extend his four-year stay north of the border for a little longer.
Speaking to HollywoodUnlocked on Instagram Live on Wednesday night, Ibaka was pretty candid when asked about his plans for the offseason and whether he’ll stay in Toronto or make the move elsewhere.
“I want to stay bro,” Ibaka said. “It’s a beautiful city, beautiful people here and then we have one of the best teams, why leave bro?”
You heard it from the man himself folks, @sergeibaka says he's ready to stay and re-sign with the @Raptors! #WeTheNorth
— Matthew Rodrigopulle (@Matt_Rodrigo_) April 9, 2020
(🎥: HollywoodUnlocked) pic.twitter.com/FkZKRjQwqS
It should come as no surprise that Ibaka wants to run it back with the Raptors. In the past two seasons, he’s revitalised his career since switching back to center, won an NBA championship – the first of his career – and come back even stronger in the 2019-20 NBA season.
Ibaka is averaging a career-high 16 points per game, adding 8.3 rebounds while shooting 52-percent from the field and a strong 40-percent from three on just over three attempts per game. He’s operated as a starter in the absence of Marc Gasol and has performed just as well on the bench – bringing a much-needed surge of energy and relentlessness on the glass.
Knowing that Ibaka wants to re-sign in Toronto is only half the battle, though. With at least five Raptors players set to hit free agency, including Ibaka, Marc Gasol, and Fred VanVleet, it’ll be difficult for the front office to find a way to pay everyone.
VanVleet is sure to generate interest from teams that can view him as their next starting point guard; like former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey’s Detroit Pistons. While Gasol, despite his advanced age, is still one of the most domineering and smart interior defenders in the NBA.
In a perfect world, the Raptors have the money handily available to re-sign all three, but it seems unlikely. For now, we know that Serge Ibaka definitely wants to be a part of the next chapter for the Toronto Raptors. The ball is in your court, Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster.