Ivica Zubac can 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’s a quality finisher around the rim, can score out of the post, passes well and is a high-level 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, a story broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN after talking to Zubac’s agents. Those three years come after this season, the final of Zubac’s last contract at $11.7 million, 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 a game last season, with a very efficient 67.1 true shooting percentage — he doesn’t space the floor, but he is excellent 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 was guarding shot just 49.6% at the rim.
Zubac may fly under the radar of casual fans, but he’s got plenty of fans in front offices around the NBA. That starts with the Clippers front office, which is why they paid up.