Boston Celtics: 3 offseason free agent targets Cs should pursue

Boston Celtics offseason free-agent target #3: Serge Ibaka

Serge Ibaka is essentially the perfect version of what Brad Stevens wanted Daniel Theis to be in his lineup at the onset of the 2020-21 season. Starting alongside the more rugged and physical (but offensively limited) Tristan Thompson, Theis was supposed to serve as a throw-back power forward in the vein of David West.

Unfortunately, everything that made Theis effective in 2019-20 was not translating to the new role, and eventually, the fit in the lineup deteriorated as the losses piled up for the Boston Celtics. It’s no shock they traded Theis in a contract year at the deadline for two cheaper and younger players.

Ibaka is currently miscast as the starting center with the Los Angeles Clippers, and while the team has managed to maintain a top-three seed in the Western Conference, they may not ultimately be able to match the size of Rudy Gobert and Deandre Ayton in the later rounds of the postseason.

Boston could offer Ibaka the chance to return to the power forward spot, where he excelled in Toronto with Marc Gasol. Ultimately though, the Raptors won a championship when Ibaka embraced a reserve role.

The Cs have different ways they can utilize Ibaka, but for what he is looking for late in his career, Beantown is a solid fit.

For the price it would likely take to land him, there shouldn’t be hesitation on Ainge’s part to reach out to the 31-year-old.