Clippers Have to Make Everyone But 1 Starter Available at the Trade Deadline

Which Clippers players should be untouchable heading towards 2026?

Apr 21, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, left, talks with Lawrence Frank, President of Basketball Operations, prior to game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

We're past the quarter mark of the 2025-2026 season, and things haven't gone according to plan for the Los Angeles Clippers thus far. Having come off a second round playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets last season, the Clippers were expected to be contenders in the Western Conference this year.

Instead, they sit at 14th in the conference with a 6-18 record and are still dealing with injuries, some self-inflicted drama, and poor performance issues.

The veteran-laden roster could turn things around -- there's still four months left in the regular season -- but the prospect of trades should be at the very least explored given their struggles.

Ivica Zubac Should Be the Only Untouchable Clipper at the Trade Deadline

Whether the Clippers will be buyers or sellers may not be known until we get closer to the February 5 deadline, but as of right now, mostly everyone should at least be available with the exception of one key starter: center Ivica Zubac.

Yes, that name is neither franchise star Kawhi Leonard or James Harden, but Zubac, who has played exceptionally well this season despite the team's issues.

He's still averaging a double-double this season with 15.9 points and 11.6 rebounds per game and has done well in the team's offense whether it's through his work on the offensive glass when needed, his underrated passing ability, or when his number is called in the post.

A player with that versatile of a skill set would be difficult to part with under normal circumstances, but his age is another factor.

The Clippers have one of the oldest rosters in the NBA, and dealing the 28-year-old Zubac would likely go against the roster getting younger, something they will need to eventually do to sustain success.

Additionally, he is under contract on a team-friendly deal for two more years after this, making $19.5 million next season. So, there is not a risk of him leaving for nothing in the offseason if they keep him in the fold.

Of course, all hope isn't completely lost for Los Angeles at this point.

As of this writing, they still remain just three games out of a play-in tournament spot, but if the run gets worse for the Clippers, all avenues for improvement should be considered.

Whether those moves will be looked at in a short-term sense for this season or for more of a long-term rebuild likely depends on how the rest of December goes, but one thing that should be a certainty is that Zubac stays in the organization.