Clippers center Ivica Zubac draws interest from Pacers
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The Indiana Pacers have reached out to the Los Angeles Clippers to inquire about the availability of center Ivica Zubac, league sources told ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel.
Indiana has been searching for a long-term option in the middle since losing Myles Turner to the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency. Head coach Rick Carlisle has been rotating Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff and Tony Bradley at center while the front office evaluates trade possibilities, as first reported Tuesday by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Dallas Mavericks big man Daniel Gafford is also on the Pacers’ list, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
Zubac, 27, is in the midst of a multi-year contract that pays roughly $18–$20 million annually, a figure that aligns with Indiana’s payroll alongside max contracts for Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. Gafford’s deal falls in a similar range.
The Pacers control all of their future first-round picks and possess tradeable players such as Obi Toppin, Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker, giving the club flexibility to meet asking prices.
Whether the Clippers are open to moving Zubac remains uncertain. The 7-footer earned All-Defensive Second Team honors last season and finished second in voting for Most Improved Player. Early indications suggest Los Angeles is reluctant to part with him, but rival executives told Siegel the Clippers would consider offers that include multiple first-round picks.
For now, Indiana continues to survey the market in search of its next anchor in the paint.
Source: Hoops Wire
