Milwaukee Bucks who would have thrived in their prime – Serge Ibaka
Prime Serge Ibaka was a two-way monster. From 2009-2020, the big man averaged 14.1 points and 1.9 blocks per game, having earned three All-Defensive selections in that span. Of course, his defense was also an essential factor in the Toronto Raptors’ 2019 title run, where they rallied to beat the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals 4-2.
The Ibaka experiment was a weird one for Milwaukee. With Brook Lopez sidelined due to an injury to his back, the Bucks acquired Ibaka as an insurance policy. It was not a secret that Ibaka was not the defensive stalwart that he was before, but there was hope that he could still help. That never quite happened, and Ibaka was eventually a throw-in in a trade the following season.
Had the Bucks gotten prime Ibaka during that stretch, he and Brook Lopez would have been one of the most formidable defensive duos the NBA has seen in a long time. Opposing players would still be having nightmares about driving to the rim and running into those two down low. Nevertheless, things didn’t transpire that way, and Ibaka is currently looking for his next NBA opportunity.