NBA Mock Trade: Clippers Send Ivica Zubac to Pacers for a Youthful Future
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No single player is seemingly safe ahead of the NBA trade deadline. Everything is for sale, depending on the price. If the season is failing a team, they may abandon the campaign and look to the future. This is something that the LA Clippers may very well do. They traded away James Harden, and now, they could deal Ivica Zubac. This is how a mock trade sending Zubac to the Pacers would look.
Fantasy Basketball Impact
The Pacers have emerged as a “prime” suitor for Ivica Zubac, per @JakeLFischer
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 5, 2026
With Zubac as a Pacer, he would provide excellent frontcourt stability to the team. Currently, the Pacers operate with Pascal Siakam at Power Forward and Jay Huff at Center. They lack much for a true, elite center. Zubac now would add that. In turn, his usage will be quite high.
As a Clipper, Zubac plays to a sub-19% usage rate. For the Pacers, this can rise above 20%. His Fantasy Basketball stock will definitely increase in Indiana.
Heading to Los Angeles will be Obi Toppin. What does he bring to the table? More of a salary match and a bench presence. Toppin has only played three games this season. Once he did get healthy, he would back up John Collins. Since the Clippers are older in their frontcourt, Toppin should still play around 20 minutes per game. This has sleeper value in Fantasy Basketball, should the schematics work for Toppin's game.
Mock Trade Details
Pacers Get: Ivica Zubac
Clippers Get: Obi Toppin, 2027 1st Round Pick
Why the Pacers Say Yes
The Pacers are reportedly actively interested in Zubac. They desire more frontcourt stability at the center position. Jay Huff is okay, but not the prime option. With Zubac, they have a great rebounding center who can play a key role with Tyrese Haliburton's return in the 2027 season.
We would definitely be sure that the Clippers will push very hard for the Pacers' 2026 1st-round pick. As it stands, the Pacers are a bottom-5 team in the NBA. This will earn them a likely top-5 draft pick. Would they be willing to sacrifice that for Zubac? Unlikely.
In this deal, the Clippers will settle for the 2027 1st-round pick, hoping it is as high as possible. Zubac should not command a top-10 draft pick.
Why the Clippers Say Yes
The Clippers are hardly in the play-in via the current standings. Can they win a title? Unlikely. They would be better suited to look towards the coming years rather than the current one.
In 2026, the oldest team in the NBA is the Clippers. They roster six core players, all aged 31 or older. They are also paying six players at least $10 Million Average Annual Value. By making this trade, they look to the youth via a 2027 draft pick and ship off the $20 million or so in Average Annual Value for his next two years beyond this one.
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Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.