Pacers to Pause Ivica Zubac Debut Until Ankle Fully Heals
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Milwaukee — Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Friday that newly acquired center Ivica Zubac will not suit up until the team is convinced his lingering right-ankle issue has completely cleared.
“There’s still something there that’s not quite right,” Carlisle told reporters before Indiana’s 105-99 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. “We’re not going to put him out there until he’s really ready.”
The 28-year-old big man is also away on paternity leave after the birth of his first child. He missed his final game with the Los Angeles Clippers for that reason but had appeared in nine straight contests prior to the absence and has played in 43 games this season.
Trade details
Indiana acquired Zubac and forward Kobe Brown from the Clippers on Thursday in exchange for guard Bennedict Mathurin, center Isaiah Jackson, two first-round draft picks and one second-rounder. The outgoing 2026 first-round pick is protected Nos. 1-4 and 10-30; if it does not convey, it becomes an unprotected first in 2031.
Long-term plans at center
The Pacers view Zubac as a replacement for Myles Turner, who departed in free agency last summer. Zubac is under contract through the 2027-28 season and is expected to form a pick-and-roll combination with injured All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who is rehabbing a torn Achilles and is not expected back until next season.
Zubac is averaging 14.4 points and 11.0 rebounds while shooting 61% from the field. Unlike Turner, a stretch big who regularly stepped beyond the arc, Zubac has not attempted a three-pointer this year. “The two guys are different,” Carlisle said. “We’ll study it and figure out how it all fits together. It’ll look a little different than when Myles was out there.”
Current standings
Friday’s defeat dropped Indiana to 13-39, the second-worst record in the NBA and 10 games behind the conference’s final play-in position. Owning one of the league’s three poorest records gives the Pacers a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in June.
Zubac has suited up for 94-95% of his teams’ games over his career, according to Carlisle. “I’m presuming that’s because he’s always raring to go through things,” the coach said. “That’s not going to be an option here.”
Source: ESPN
