Over the years, plenty of solid players have passed through the Indiana Pacers organization, and many have gone on to have long, successful careers in the NBA.
However, there are always some instances of players who just don’t stick. Guys who either have no interest in playing for the Pacers or, in the opposite case, Indiana has no interest in having them on the roster.
One of the most recent instances of this is Serge Ibaka, who was included in the deal that brought Jordan Nwora to Indiana, which was lumped in as part of the four-team Kevin Durant trade to the Phoenix Suns.
Former Indiana Pacers big man Serge Ibaka signs with Bayern Munich after non-existent stint with team
Ibaka joined the Pacers in the deal but never suited up for the franchise, as he was waived just two days after getting traded to the team. Now, it looks like Indiana could be the last NBA organization the big man was ever officially a part of.
According to the team, Ibaka has signed a deal to join German club Bayern Munich for the upcoming season. It will be the first time since 2009 that Ibaka won’t be a member of an NBA franchise.
The big man will join a bunch of former NBA players on Bayern Munich’s roster. The group includes Leandro Bolmaro, Isaac Bonga, Freddie Gillespie, and Carsen Edwards.
While Ibaka never suited up for the Pacers, he did have an incredibly impressive NBA career that lasted 14 years and spanned across five different franchises.
Ibaka spent the large majority of his career as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Throughout his career, Ibaka was named to three All-Defensive teams and led the NBA in blocks twice.
He was also a member of the 2019 Toronto Raptors championship team, playing a key role in their rotation and appearing in all 24 of their playoff games that postseason.
At 34 years old, it seems as though Ibaka’s NBA career may have come to a close, and if that is the case, the Pacers will be the last organization he was officially a member of – even though he never appeared in a game for the team.