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Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Summary
Ibaka may not have the athleticism that he had back in his days with the Thunder, but he's still valuable as a stretch big that can also defend the rim. He won't sky high for blocks on defense, but he's still big enough and moves well enough to be an impact defender. On offense, Ibaka isn't really a lob threat anymore and is almost exclusively a pick-and-pop big, but that skill is super valuable as it forces opposing centers to step away from the rim to defend him, or can cause mismatches if the defense decides to switch.
Because he doesn't do much else other than shoot jumpers anymore on offense, his offensively value is pretty directly tied to whether or not he's hitting shots. However, Ibaka has shot well from three and midrange in recent seasons, and has posted an above-average eFG% each season of his career except '15-'16, per Cleaning the Glass. As long as Ibaka can continue to be mobile enough to be a solid defender, and hit shots on the offensive end, he'll continue to be a sold player as he ages into his mid-30's as long as he stays healthy, which he was not for the last months of the season.
Cap Considerations
Ibaka has a $9.7 million player option for next season, and if he declines that option he will be an unrestricted free agent with a $11.1 million cap hold and Non-Bird Rights. If Ibaka opts for free agency, the Clippers will be somewhat limited in their means of re-signing him. Since they will only have his Non-Bird Rights, the most they could offer him using the Non-Bird Exception is a contract starting at $11.1 million. This should be more than enough to re-sign Ibaka, but since the Clippers will have limited resources to replace Ibaka if he leaves, he may be able to use that as leverage to get the full amount allowed under the Non-Bird Exception.
Other teams will have multiple ways to sign Ibaka as even teams without cap space could possibly use the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception to sign him if he opts out, but it's hard to imagine he would opt out and settle for the Taxpayer MLE or Room MLE.
Potential Teams: Clippers, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Heat, Knicks
Predicted Contract: 2-year, $22.8 million with the Clippers.
Actual Contract: Opt-In: $9.7 million
After having an injury-riddled season, Ibaka opted in. Although he would have had some leverage, the Clippers could have possibly used the full MLE if he left, so that took away some of his leverage.
Last updated: 7/31/2021
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