Los Angeles Lakers: 4 reasons why the Lakers could sign Serge Ibaka
By Jason Reed
2. Serge Ibaka adds to the Los Angeles Lakers’ presence near the rim while also stretching the floor
Serge Ibaka was once one of the most ferocious shot-blockers in the league. He led the league in blocks per game in two consecutive seasons, averaging 3.7 and 3.0 blocks per game in his third and fourth year in the league, respectively.
He is no longer as prolific of a shot blocker but he still adds the same rim-protecting presence that the Lakers got out of their big men this season. Ibaka averaged 0.8 blocks in 27 minutes per game last season.
Not only that, but he also offers really good rebounding capabilities. Ibaka averaged 8.2 rebounds per game, again, giving the Lakers a very good rebounder to put near the rim. The Lakers are one of the rare teams to go with size in today’s NBA and Ibaka offers just that.
However, what makes Ibaka more dynamic than other bigs, including the ones that the Lakers had last season, is his newfound ability to stretch the floor.
Ibaka was not a three-point shooter when he entered the league but he has slowly implemented that into his repertoire and he is someone who can be a reliable off-ball shooter and knock down a few threes per game.
He shot 38.5% from beyond the arc in 3.3 attempts per game last season. That would have tied Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for the best three-point shooting percentage on the Lakers’ roster.