In one of the most buzzed about moves at the NBA trade deadline, the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Clippers shook up the league with a blockbuster deal centered around big man Ivica Zubac. After months of speculation, the 28-year-old center a rugged rim protector and rebounding force was sent to Indiana in exchange for a package headlined by Bennedict Mathurin, forward Isaiah Jackson, and a bounty of draft picks.
Zubac has been one of the league’s most reliable double-double threats this season, averaging roughly 14.4 points and 11 rebounds per game while shooting more than 60% from the field. Under his new Pacers jersey, he immediately fills a glaring void at center that has plagued Indiana since losing Myles Turner in free agency last summer.
“This will help our rebounding… we obviously feel the fit is good with Tyrese [Haliburton] Pascal [Siakam] and our other veteran guys,” said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, underlining how Zubac’s physicality and interior presence could mesh with Indiana’s roster once its star guard returns from injury.
While Indiana clearly upgrades its front-court, analysts are divided on how to grade the swap. On paper, the Pacers gave up a rising scorer in Mathurin, who is averaging nearly 18 points this season and several high draft selections that could pay dividends in the future.
For the Clippers, parting with Zubac signals a broader roster reset after earlier dealing James Harden. Los Angeles gained valuable draft capital and young pieces, offering flexibility to reshape around recent acquisition Darius Garland and other emerging talents.
Ultimately, league insiders say the trade’s true winner won’t be revealed until NBA Draft Lottery night when the fate of Indiana’s protected pick could swing the value pendulum significantly either way.
