Ibaka traded to Toronto

[RJ87]

Toronto now clearly ahead of Boston and the #2 team in the East.

Agreed. You can also argue that Washington might be the 3rd best team in the East with how they've starting clicking recently.

And this isn't me panicking, but CLE/TOR/WSH are all teams with multiple weapons in addition to their All-Star players.

Washington still has no depth.  At best, they are keeping pace with the Celtics while the Celtics are not 100%

Yeah, seriously. Toronto and Washington have passed us? Please. We have been dealing with significant injuries to starters and rotation players the entire season and here we sit two games behind Cleveland and four games ahead of Toronto.

I totally agree with Ainge not trading real assets for a rental this year. It is about the future. Players like Bogut will still be available and I am not so sure (if healthy) he can't be as effective as Ibaka.

Frankly, I am glad that Noguiera and Sully will now get fewer minutes. I LOVED the Ibaka of the past, but this newer, slower version is about to get monumentally overpaid.

Toronto's slide coincided with DeRozan's ankle injury, they were the #2 seed before that. They get DeRozan back and solidify a position of need. Yes, if we're healthy and Toronto's healthy, I think they are the better team.

As far as Washington, they've got an All-Star in John Wall plus they have Markieff Morris, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter, and Marcin Gortat playing at high levels. Granted, we have an MVP candidate in IT but he has no consistent help.

[BitterJim]

By the way, how much of an upgrade do you guys think Bogus is compared to Amir ? I'm not even sure there's that much of a difference seeing the recent games of Amir...

When healthy, Bogut is a huge improvement on defense and rebounding (he has almost the same numbers as Amir for offensive rebounding but that team doesn't try to get offensive rebounds so it's hard to judge, defensive rebounding he's much better).  Amir, though, is the better offensive player (60.7% on 2s vs 47.4% for Bogut, 40.9% from 3 with 0.8 3PA/g, plus a 2.0 A/TO ratio vs. 1.2 for Bogut), and is also much healthier.

I would take Bogut over Zeller, but I don't think I'd want to give up Amir for him

[RJ87]

The C's need to stay the course. Toronto gave up a rotation player and a first rounder for a rental.

Haven't really heard about what the C's were willing to give up.

Millsap maybe becomes a possibility now.

Well, they are confident in resigning him, apparently...

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18683715/orlando-magic-agree-deal-serge-ibaka-toronto-raptors-terrence-ross-1st-round-pick

Toronto is confident it can re-sign him this summer, a source told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

Oh boy...that contract is going to look BAD...wish them well with that!

I mean... we do still have Horford at a max slot, no?

[Surferdad]

My feeling is that the impediment to the deal was Orlando's GM needing to save his job.  He wants things that can help his team next season. We weren't going to offer Brown or this year's Brooklyn pick.  Either would be a gross overpay.  Aside from those, our best trade assets are expiring contracts and picks in 2018-2019.

Toronto was able to offer a 1st in this draft and a rotation guy under contract for 3 more years.  I'm sure we could have gotten Ibaka for Bradley, Smart, or Crowder, but none of those would be a good deal for us.  Unfortunately the assets that Orlando wanted most were not the long-term assets we could offer.  They are impatient, as even the trade acquiring Ibaka showed, and it just wasn't to be.

OK makes sense.  I feel better now.  Thanks for walking me off the edge of the cliff.

[Monkhouse]

The C's need to stay the course. Toronto gave up a rotation player and a first rounder for a rental.

Haven't really heard about what the C's were willing to give up.

Millsap maybe becomes a possibility now.

Well, they are confident in resigning him, apparently...

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18683715/orlando-magic-agree-deal-serge-ibaka-toronto-raptors-terrence-ross-1st-round-pick

Toronto is confident it can re-sign him this summer, a source told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

Oh boy...that contract is going to look BAD...wish them well with that!

I mean... we do still have Horford at a max slot, no?

I take Horford's contract now over Ibaka's... He's at least going to get 20-25 million.

[Geo123]

Toronto now clearly ahead of Boston and the #2 team in the East.

Clearly not....  They traded their sixth man and don't really have alot of depth. 

[RJ87]

Oh boy...that contract is going to look BAD...wish them well with that!

I mean... we do still have Horford at a max slot, no?

I take Horford's contract now over Ibaka's... He's at least going to get 20-25 million.

They're number are pretty similar. Ibaka's the better 3pt shooter, while Al's the superior passer. Even if you believe the talk of Ibaka being older than his reported age, Ibaka @ $20m-$25m versus Al @ $26m-$30m are pretty similar values.

[SHAQATTACK]

So, let me get this right.  Orlando essentially traded Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and Domantas Sabonis for Terrence Ross & a late 1st rounder?

I suppose thats better than Oladipo/Sabonis/Ilyasova for a rental year of Ibaka where you dont even sniff the playoffs?

Dang ....that's brutal ......grasping at straws

[Androslav]

If they face Cleveland in the 2nd round I can't see the deal working out for them. But then again he is a good vet that can play on any team in the league. They may be fine with a couple of more years of contending in the east and winning 50 games each year.
Worth noting, Torontos players pay double tax for the 41 home games during the regular season, meaning less net income for him. If he sings a new deal and stays.
Even with that I respect Massai as a GM. Top 5/7 IMO.
He smelled Clevelands vulnerability and attacked it.

[Moranis]

Toronto now clearly ahead of Boston and the #2 team in the East.

Clearly not....  They traded their sixth man and don't really have alot of depth.

Joseph is probably their 6th man, though Powell has been starting for DeRozan so maybe he is really the 6th man.  Either way, with Joseph and Powell they are fine on wings on the bench (at least from a playoff standpoint). 

[SHAQATTACK]

I d say just getting close to Cavs is not enough for DA with signing of Ibaka.   

The big picture ,  Ibaka problem doesn't help you a lot to beat Warriors or Spurs.

I agree.

[Ilikesports17]

Toronto now clearly ahead of Boston and the #2 team in the East.

Clearly not....  They traded their sixth man and don't really have alot of depth.

Joseph is probably their 6th man, though Powell has been starting for DeRozan so maybe he is really the 6th man.  Either way, with Joseph and Powell they are fine on wings on the bench (at least from a playoff standpoint).

Ross was 7th in mpg.

[jambr380]

Oh boy...that contract is going to look BAD...wish them well with that!

I mean... we do still have Horford at a max slot, no?

I take Horford's contract now over Ibaka's... He's at least going to get 20-25 million.

They're number are pretty similar. Ibaka's the better 3pt shooter, while Al's the superior passer. Even if you believe the talk of Ibaka being older than his reported age, Ibaka @ $20m-$25m versus Al @ $26m-$30m are pretty similar values.

The difference is that Ibaka's whole career has been based on his superior athleticism while Al's had been his bbiq. If Ibaka loses his athleticism (as appears to be the case), he is just going to be an overpaid past his prime Kendrick Perkins.

Ibaka may seem to be hovering around his career numbers, but his impact on winning isn't in the same stratosphere as Al's. Orlando really isn't that bad of a team on paper and they even have a solid coach. Their draft day deal was a total dud and that pretty much rests solely on Ibaka and the impact the Magic thought he would have.

Meanwhile, IT, Al, and the Cs are cruising right along fighting for the #1 seed all the while dealing with significant injuries throughout the season. Has Al ever been on a bad team in his life?

[PhoSita]

This signals that Danny is all about "trade / sign a superstar or stand pat and develop the youth."

[PhoSita]

So, let me get this right.  Orlando essentially traded Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and Domantas Sabonis for Terrence Ross & a late 1st rounder?

Indeed.  Rob Hennigan's tenure has been an utter disaster in Orlando.