Ivica Zubac may fly under the radar on a team with James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, but watch Clippers games and you quickly see why they were +5.1 per 100 possessions better with him on the court last season. He is a quality finisher around the rim, can score out of the post, passes well and is an advanced paint-protecting presence on defense.
That’s why the Clippers locked up the 27-year-old with a three-year, $58.6 million contract extension, story broken by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski after speaking with Zubac’s agents. Those three years come after this season, the finale of Zubac’s last $11.7 million contract, and will keep him with the team through the summer of 2028.
Should the Clippers decide to pivot with their roster in the next four years, this is also a very tradable contract for a quality center.
Zubac averaged 11.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game last season, with a very efficient 67.1 true shooting percentage – he doesn’t space the floor, but he’s great at playing to his strengths and within himself. Defensively, he knows how to use his size as a deterrent to drivers into the paint, and last season players he guarded shot just 49.6% at the rim.
Zubac may fly under the radar of casual fans, but he has plenty of fans in front offices around the NBA. That starts with the Clippers front office, which is why they paid.
