The Indiana Pacers have reached out to the Los Angeles Clippers to gauge the availability of veteran center Ivica Zubac, sources told Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
Indiana’s interest comes after the franchise lost longtime starter Myles Turner to the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency last summer. The Pacers are currently rotating Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff and Tony Bradley in the middle while searching for a long-term solution, a pursuit first noted by ESPN’s Shams Charania earlier this week.
League insider Jake Fischer reported Tuesday that Dallas Mavericks big man Daniel Gafford is also on Indiana’s list of potential trade targets.
Contract structure fits Pacers’ cap sheet
Zubac, 28, is owed $18.1 million this season and remains under contract at roughly $18-20 million annually for multiple years—an amount similar to Gafford’s deal. That mid-tier salary aligns with Indiana’s payroll, which already includes maximum contracts for Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. Turner earned just under $20 million in the final year of his Pacers agreement in 2024-25, creating space for a comparable replacement.
Trade assets on the table
The Pacers control all of their own first-round picks and possess several mid-salary players who could help match Zubac’s cap number, including Obi Toppin ($14 million), Bennedict Mathurin ($9.2 million) and Jarace Walker ($6.7 million).
Uncertain stance in Los Angeles
Whether the Clippers are willing to part with Zubac remains unclear. Fischer reported Tuesday that Los Angeles has shown little interest in moving the All-Defensive Second Team center, while Siegel noted conflicting signals about the club’s position. Rival executives believe the Clippers—off to a 6-18 start—would at least listen if presented with multiple first-round picks.
The situation bears watching as the season progresses and the trade market develops.
Source: Hoops Rumors
