PHOENIX – A year ago the Milwaukee Bucks brought in a veteran, defensive-minded presence to bolster their chances at claiming their first championship in five decades.
On Thursday they made a similar move to push their chips in on defending that title, making a four-team trade that sent Delaware native and Salesianum graduate Donte DiVincenzo to Sacramento and brought them 32-year-old Serge Ibaka from the Los Angeles Clippers before Thursday’s 2 p.m. trade deadline.
The Journal Sentinel confirmed the trades first reported by The Athletic and ESPN. The Bucks also received two future second-round draft picks and cash and sent Semi Ojeleye and Rodney Hood to the Clippers.
Ibaka is only under contract through this season.
The second-round picks the Bucks acquired are a 2023 selection from Detroit (the lesser of pick via Golden State and Cleveland) and a 2024 selection from Sacramento (via Portland). The Clippers also sent the Bucks cash.
The Detroit Free Press confirmed the Pistons acquired Marvin Bagley Jr. from the Kings and sent Trey Lyles and Josh Jackson to the Kings.
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By moving three rostered players and bringing back just one and cash, the Bucks now are expected to be players in the free-agent buyout market after the trade deadline.
A league source said the move of acquiring Ibaka was entirely separate from any progress center Brook Lopez is making on a return. For the Bucks, the acquisition of Ibaka gives them another versatile, big defender – and respectable offensive threat – as they look ahead to potential Eastern Conference playoff matchups.
The 6-foot-10 Ibaka had just played the Bucks on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena and displayed his value in not just scoring seven points, pulling down seven rebounds and blocking a shot in 18 minutes, but by taking two shoulder bumps from Giannis Antetokounmpo in the low post and not moving anywhere.
And, of course, the Bucks are too familiar with what Ibaka was able to do against them in the 2018-19 Eastern Conference finals, when he helped the Toronto Raptors “wall” off Antetokounmpo en route to an NBA title.
Ibaka’s stats this season and in his career
In Ibaka’s 13-year NBA career, he is a three-time all-defensive team member and two-time blocks champion, attributes that fit perfectly for Milwaukee.
Ibaka has played 35 games this season for the Clippers, averaging 6.6 points and 4.3 rebounds. In his career with Oklahoma City, Toronto and the Clippers he has averaged 12.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks.
He also has shot 51% overall and 36% from behind the three-point line for his career.
Ibaka has played in 146 playoff games (102 starts). Aside from winning a title with the Raptors, he played in the NBA Finals with the Thunder in 2011-12 and a Western Conference finals with them in 2013-14 and 2015-16.
Donte DiVincenzo is being traded to the Kings
DiVincenzo was long-rumored as a trade target once he and the team did not agree on a rookie extension this summer. The 25-year-old guard emerged as a starter on last season’s championship team before tearing an ankle ligament in the first-round series against the Miami Heat.
He returned this season and has played 17 games off the bench, averaging 7.2 points.
Ojeleye and Hood were veteran signings this offseason and did not provide the boost off the bench as expected. Ojeleye dealt with multiple calf injuries and had a stint in the league’s health and safety protocol, while Hood never found significant minutes in a rotation.
Check back later for more on this story.
