Overview
- The Pacers acquired center Ivica Zubac in a major trade that cost Bennedict Mathurin and a first-round pick that conveyed to the Clippers at No. 5, leaving Indiana without a 2026 first-rounder.
- Zubac played just five games for Indiana after the deal and logged roughly 118 minutes under a coaches-imposed restriction, producing a very small sample for judging his fit.
- Before the trade he averaged about 14.4 points and 11 rebounds in 43 games for the Clippers, but his numbers dipped in the brief Pacers stint as he adjusted to limited minutes and injury issues.
- Zubac said the limited reps helped him learn the Pacers’ faster pace, defensive coverages and offensive role and he pledged an intensive offseason to enter 2026-27 in peak condition.
- Indiana keeps most of its 2025 Finals core but carries heavy salary commitments and limited draft flexibility, so Zubac’s conditioning and on-court fit will shape whether the trade secures the team’s contender status or becomes a costly gamble.