Clippers send center Ivica Zubac to Pacers in trade deal.
The LA Clippers are sending center Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers, according to sources cited by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson, along with the Pacers’ protected 2026 first-round pick and unprotected 2029 first-round pick, are being sent to L.A. as part of the trade, sources indicated. The 2026 pick from the Pacers is protected for selections Nos. 1-4 and 10-30.
This trade follows closely on the heels of the Clippers’ recent deal that sent point guard James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland, marking a transition towards the future.
With Zubac, the Pacers acquire a center for their future to complement franchise player Tyrese Haliburton after losing longtime starter Myles Turner to free agency last summer. Zubac, who will turn 29 in March, emerged as a top-tier starter last season, finishing sixth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting and earning a spot on the All-Defensive second team. This season, he is averaging 14.4 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 61.3% from the field.
Zubac, who will turn 29 in March, is signed for two additional seasons beyond this one, with an average salary of approximately $20 million in 2026-27 and 2027-28.
