3 NBA teams that could lure Serge Ibaka away from the Milwaukee Bucks

The Philadelphia 76ers could lure Serge Ibaka away from the Milwaukee Bucks during NBA free agency

Another Eastern Conference contender that could use support in the frontcourt this offseason is the Philadelphia 76ers, another notable rival of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The 76ers endured some turbulence at the backup center position this past season as they began the season with Andre Drummond, who was solid before he was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets in the blockbuster trade for James Harden. Philadelphia then signed DeAndre Jordan, who had previously played under their head coach in Doc Rivers, but that signing quickly backfired as the center could not find his footing. He became virtually unplayable in the postseason, and the 76ers sure would have liked to have a player like Ibaka, who was just sitting on the sidelines with the Bucks.

Adding a reputable backup center behind Joel Embiid should be a top priority for Philadelphia this offseason, and Ibaka would be a perfect fit. He would be an upgrade over what the 76ers finished with the season with, and Ibaka would give them a reliable backup center that can play a large role when Embiid is on the sidelines catching his breath. The 76ers were a middle-of-the-pack team in paint protection as they ranked 13th in opponent paint points per game in the regular season, and Ibaka could help bump that number up a tick or two due to his towering presence down low.

Perhaps James Harden, Ibaka’s former teammate with the OKC Thunder that currently resides in Philadelphia, could do some spirited recruiting once free agency begins.