Indiana Sends Mathurin to L.A., Lands Zubac in Multi-Pick Deal
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INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers have filled their vacancy in the middle, reaching an agreement to obtain center Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers, according to multiple reports.
Indiana will receive Zubac, 28, along with forward Kobe Brown. In return, the Clippers secure guard Bennedict Mathurin, center Isaiah Jackson, the Pacers’ protected 2026 first-round pick, an unprotected 2029 first-rounder, and the Dallas Mavericks’ 2028 second-round pick, league sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania, The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer and ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel.
If Indiana’s 2026 pick lands outside the No. 5-9 range, Los Angeles instead will collect the Pacers’ unprotected 2031 first-round selection, Fischer reported.
The move ends Indiana’s search for a full-time replacement for Myles Turner, who was traded to Milwaukee last summer. The Pacers cycled through Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff, James Wiseman and Tony Bradley this season while exploring trade options that included Daniel Gafford, Nic Claxton, Walker Kessler and Yves Missi. Utah reportedly rejected Indiana’s recent offer of two unprotected firsts for Kessler.
Zubac is enjoying a career year, averaging 14.4 points and 11.0 rebounds on 61.3% shooting. He is under contract through the 2026-27 season on a deal considered team friendly. His acquisition follows the Clippers’ decision earlier this week to send James Harden to Cleveland, signaling a shift toward future assets.
Mathurin, 21, heads to Los Angeles after averaging 13.0 points in his second NBA season. He joins a Clippers roster that also adds two first-round picks and a second-round choice to its draft cache.
Source: Hoops Wire
