The Indiana Pacers are acquiring center Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers, according to multiple reports, in a deal that sends guard Bennedict Mathurin to LA, along with Isaiah Jackson and multiple future draft picks. The trade also includes forward Kobe Brown heading to Indiana.
Zubac, a former second-round pick, is enjoying his second straight season averaging a double-double. He ranks fifth in the NBA in rebounds at 11 per game and is putting up 14.4 points on 61.3% shooting. Known for his inside presence, Zubac has not attempted a three-pointer since the 2020-21 season. He will turn 29 next month, is under contract through 2027-28, and earned All-Defensive Second Team honors in 2024-25.
Mathurin, drafted sixth overall by Indiana in 2022, has been a key piece of the Pacers’ rotation. The 23-year-old guard is posting career highs with 17.5 points per game and 37.7% shooting from three. He recently returned from toe and thumb injuries that sidelined him for much of January and was set to become a restricted free agent next summer, leaving uncertainty about the Pacers’ ability to retain him long-term.
Jackson has started 14 of 38 games this season, averaging 6.4 points and 5.6 rebounds on 58.2% shooting.
Indiana is in the midst of a rebuilding campaign while star guard Tyrese Haliburton recovers from the Achilles injury he suffered in the 2025 NBA Finals. Once healthy, Haliburton’s playmaking combined with All-Star forward Pascal Siakam, Zubac, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith gives the Pacers a promising core for the future.
The Clippers, who have surged after a slow start and remain in the SoFi Play-In Tournament chase, appear to be pivoting at midseason after trading All-Star James Harden to Cleveland earlier this week. Indiana, meanwhile, owns the worst record in the Eastern Conference at 13-38 and ranks near the bottom in rebounds per game (42.8) and rebound percentage (tied for 28th at 47.9%).
