10 Indiana Pacers who never played a single minute for the team
By Jack Simone
10 Indiana Pacers who never played a single minute for the team: 8. Serge Ibaka
One of the better players on this list, Serge Ibaka ended up passing through the Indiana Pacers organization late into his career by way of a trade this past deadline.
Ibaka was a part of the four-team trade that brought Jordan Nwora to the Pacers along with George Hill and a second-round pick. The deal was lumped in with the Kevin Durant trade that saw him join the Phoenix Suns.
The Milwaukee Bucks shipped Ibaka to the Pacers in the trade, but the big man never suited up for the organization, as Indiana waived him just two days after the deal went through.
The big man played 16 games with the Bucks this past year, but he didn’t catch on anywhere this offseason. Instead, Ibaka signed a deal with Bayern Munich to play overseas.
Ibaka spent 14 years in the NBA, most of which being played with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He made three All-Defensive teams in his career and led the league in blocks twice.
In 2019, Ibaka won a championship as a member of the Toronto Raptors, marking the only title run of his lengthy career. He was a key role player on that squad.
Though he never played a minute for the Pacers, Ibaka’s run-in with the organization was technically his last connection to the NBA.