Knicks Trade Rumors: Can Serge Ibaka Help Mitchell Robinson-less Interior?

The long-tenured NBA veteran is seeking a new home. Can the New York Knicks offer relief, at least temporarily?

Per Shams Charania and Eric Nehm of The Athletic, the Milwaukee Bucks and longtime NBA center Serge Ibaka are mutually prepared to part ways. The team is expected to include Ibaka, 33, in its negotiations leading up to the Feb. 9 trade deadline.

Considering the state of their lineup, it'd perhaps be no surprise if the New York Knicks were to inquire about Ibaka's services. 

In the midst of his 14th NBA season, Ibaka has struggled to crack the Milwaukee rotation, partaking in only 16 games and only two since Nov. 21. More recently, Ibaka has been off the Bucks' active roster due to personal reasons, only lending further credence to the idea of a trade. 

Serge Ibaka is the perfect veteran stretch 5. He can knock down a jumper from anywhere and still protects the rim like he did in his OKC days. Dude is a beast 🔥 pic.twitter.com/j9B0xOHNYu

— Alex Burns (@AlexBurnsHoops) January 19, 2023

Ibaka returned to Milwaukee on a veteran's minimum deal after coming over from the Los Angeles Clippers at the last deadline but has struggled to find minutes. The Bucks' primary paint-dwellers, Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis, have been relatively healthy but Ibaka has also lost time to developmental project Sandro Mamukelashvili. 

While certainly not getting any younger, Ibaka has the credentials to help a team in desperate need of defense, boasting three All-Defensive First Team nominations (2012-14) and leading the Association blocks twice.

That's where the Knicks come in.

In dropping its third game in a row on Friday night in Atlanta, the Knicks (25-22) got a bitter taste of life without starting center Mitchell Robinson: with the big man out for at least three weeks due to a thumb injury sustained on Wednesday against Washington, New York let up 139 points to the streaking Hawks in one of their worst defensive outputs of the year and were outrebounded 39-34. 

Observers have liked what they've seen out of second-year replacement Jericho Sims, who put in a career-best 12 points in defeat. But if New York wants to do more than just tread water while Robinson heals, they may want to seek a more pure, traditional center. New York has tried to turn Isaiah Hartenstein into more of a traditional big man but he has struggled to keep up with that plan and has lost minutes to Sims. 

There's a low-risk, high reward to the idea of bringing Ibaka in, as the Knicks probably wouldn't have to part with one of their precious first-round picks to obtain him. The team will likely try to bide its time before making any rash move for a big man or two, but it's certainly something to keep an eye on ... especially if Hartenstein continues to struggle and Obi Toppin continues to be buried on the bench. 

In the meantime, the Knicks will look to look to end their losing streak on Sunday evening against the Toronto Raptors (6 p.m. ET, MSG).

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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