Ex-Clipper Ivica Zubac May Have to Wait for Pacers Debut Amid Tanking Season

Fans may have to wait a little longer before seeing Ivica Zubac take the floor again after his trade deadline departure.

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The Los Angeles Clippers traded away their longest-tenured player at the trade deadline. After eight successful seasons with the organization, Ivica Zubac was traded to the Indiana Pacers last Thursday. Clippers fans were understandably disappointed by the front office's decision, but LA felt like the Pacers' offer was too good to pass up. Zubac's departure signals the end of an era of Clippers basketball, leaving Kawhi Leonard as the only player who has played in every season of Ty Lue's tenure.

Even though Zubac left LA, he will be fondly remembered by Clippers fans for the rest of his career. Clippers fans will keep a close eye on and root for Zubac as he tries to bring the Pacers back to the NBA Finals. However, Clippers and Pacers fans alike have to wait for Zubac's debut with his new team.

Tanking Pacers Will Likely Not Play Ivica Zubac Much Down the Stretch

Since joining the Pacers, Zubac was quickly ruled out of the first two games. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Zu went on paternity leave and has an ankle injury that he has been playing through since December. Carlisle added, "There's still something there that's not quite right. We're not going to put him out there until he's really ready," per ESPN's Jamal Collier. He has yet to be ruled for Tuesday's game against the Knicks and Wednesday's game against the Nets, but it's safe to assume that the Croatian center will be held out until after the All-Star break.

Yes, the 28-year-old big man missed five games in late December due to an ankle sprain, but this absence may have more to do with Indiana's lack of incentives to play him. The Pacers currently have the second-worst record in the league at 13-40. They traded their 2026 first-round pick to the Clippers but protected it from 1-4 and 10-30. This means that LA only gets the pick if it is between the fifth and ninth pick in the draft. So, the Pacers desperately have to finish with one of the three worst records in the league to maximize their draft lottery chances.

The teams with the three worst records in the league all have a 52.1% chance in the lottery of earning a top-four pick in the NBA Draft. With the Kings, Wizards, Nets, and Jazz also all trying to lose as many games as possible between now and the end of the season, the Pacers can't risk getting out-tanked by any of these teams.

This means that they will hold Zubac out as much as possible in the next two months. He will likely make his Pacers debut after the All-Star break, but it's safe to assume that we won't see too much of him this season.

The Pacers are treating this as a transition year as Tyrese Haliburton recovers from his Achilles tear. They acquired Zubac with next season and beyond in mind, so they have very little reason to push him this season.