Ivica Zubac Rumors

You played with Zach Edey at Purdue, and now you’re playing with Ivica Zubac in Indiana. They’re both traditional back-to-the-basket, post-up guys, which is rare in today’s league. What aspects of your game do you feel translate well from when you played with Edey to now, hopefully with Zubac? Braden Smith: Obviously, two big dudes and being able to play with those guys and learn how to play with them. I think it was important for me, especially early on in my first two years of college, to be with Zach. So I think it just sets you up because if you are trying to go play in the league and do those things, that’s who you’re going to get. Those are the type of guys you’re going to have to play with and learn to play with, so for me, I think it’s just a head start to that. Obviously, having Zubac on the team and being able to play with another guy very similar to that. I think it only benefits me even more because I already know how to play with a caliber player like that, and it really just makes it that much better.

HoopsHype

Yossi Gozlan: Now we await the results of the Aspiration investigation. The Clippers have 9 first-round picks now, but that amount could be reduced if penalized. Between this and the Zubac trade, it makes sense to load up on first-round picks just in case.

x.com

Ivica Zubac won't be flying completely blind in 2026-27, but he'll still be adjusting along the way. His offseason will be important, as will training camp. That's one advantage of getting the trade done in February, Zubac is a member of the Pacers for the entire offseason. Some of the team's assistant coaches, including Jenny Bouckey and Jim Boylen, have been with Zubac in Europe this summer. "Definitely helped with [getting] a feel for how this team wants to play, about the pace, about defensive coverages, the defensive rotations," Zubac said of what he got out of his abbreviated Pacers season. "Offensively, where they want me to be, what they want me to do. So it definitely helped. I wish [there] were more games to get a better feel for it. But I kind of understood what they want from me, and (I've) got the whole summer to get in the best shape of my life and get ready for the next year."

Circle City Spin

The Clippers are also said to be interested in Brown and have future first-round draft picks available to dangle, including the fifth pick in the draft as a potential trade chip, along with a 2029 unprotected first-round draft pick from the Indiana Pacers from the Ivica Zubac trade, should they decide to pursue a trade.

HoopsHype

Tim MacMahon: The Jazz are determined to keep Walker Kessler. Now, there is a gulf between the Jazz front office and Walker Kessler's camp in terms of his value. The Jazz have put it off on the table for five years and roughly $140 million. Walker Kessler's representation believes his value is significantly higher than that. There were discussions with the Indiana Pacers before they traded for Zubac about trading for Kessler, giving up two first-round picks and signing him to a deal that would have been north of that. The Jazz have also been very firm: They want a five-year deal, they want a five-year commitment. Kessler is a restricted free agent. The Jazz would have the right to match any offer that he received in restricted free agency, and they're using that leverage. These are tense negotiations. 

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The Pacers are looking to trade for a pick somewhere in the 30s early in the second round, according to league sources. Indiana's top selection, of course, had to be conveyed to the LA Clippers as a condition of the Ivica Zubac trade after it fell to No. 5 in the lottery.

marcstein.substack.com

Tony East: You may have seen some pictures of Jenny Boucek and Jim Boylen with Ivica Zubac overseas. Zubac is on the Croatia squad for the upcoming FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifying window. They play Italy in a friendly on June 24, the competition starts in early July.

bsky.app

Did you also think that your team was due a little bit of luck? Tyrese Haliburton: I mean, it was a coin toss. The way I’m looking at these last 12 months for me, dating back from June, I didn’t think we were really due any luck. It’s been a rough 12 months for me. I didn’t think KP had to apologize. They took a calculated risk, and I’m still rolling with the decision. I’m excited to add Zu to our crew, and I think we’re going to be really good alongside him. It’s just how the cookie crumbles sometimes, but I’m still really excited about our group.

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At 29, Ivica Zubac should be in his prime. The Pacers likely needed to pay a premium for his deal, which will pay him just $42.1 million over the next two seasons. Additionally, the rest of the lottery is likely to be dotted with point guards. With Haliburton, the Pacers are set there, so protecting a pick further into the lottery had diminishing value for Indiana. Despite the risk of losing this year’s pick, Pritchard said the trade framework allowed the Pacers to keep most of their future draft flexibility intact. He suggested they expect to be active and will look for moves this summer. “Everybody says, well, why didn’t you protect it a lot deeper?” Pritchard said. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to. That was the vig for us to get Zu.”

New York Times

Don't take my word for it. Pritchard said himself, later, that he views Zubac as his team's lottery pick (to an extent) when reflecting on the trade. "At the trade deadline, didn't know how structurally we were (going to be) able to get a top center. Then you might be just looking at free agency and using your cap. And we wouldn't have cap space. So it's a full mid level. And that guy usually isn't in the level of (Zubac)," he began before the kicker. "So (Zubac) is our lottery pick."

Circle City Spin

Law Murray: The Pacers aren't done paying for Zubac btw. The LA Clippers will also receive the 2028 second round Pacers pick AND The 2029 Pacers first round pick. Bennedict Mathurin is a restricted free agent and Isaiah Jackson is under contract through 2028

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Law Murray: The Pacers keep their 2031 first. That was only going to the Clippers if the Clippers did not get the 2026 first, which they have now.

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Law Murray: The LA Clippers have STOLEN the Indiana Pacers pick and will draft FIFTH

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League sources say that the Warriors were the team that most aggressively pursued a trade for the Clippers' Leonard in the final stages before the league's Feb. 5 trade deadline after the Clippers had already traded away James Harden and Ivica Zubac that same week.

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