Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has spoken highly of Ivica Zubac, a former teammate who has significantly improved since being traded from the Lakers. James praised Zubac’s development and expressed optimism about his potential impact with his current team, the Indiana Pacers.
Throughout the current NBA season, the Lakers have struggled defensively, especially at the center position, prompting fans to hope for upgrades during the offseason. Many believe that retaining Zubac, a promising big man prospect, might have helped ease these concerns.
From Lakers Prospect to Key Player in the NBA
Ivica Zubac was selected 32nd overall by the Lakers in the 2016 NBA Draft and played for them during his first two and a half seasons. Despite his promise, he was traded at the 2019 deadline to the Los Angeles Clippers along with Michael Beasley in exchange for Mike Muscala, a move that surprised many Lakers followers.
While Muscala’s brief stint in purple and gold amounted to 17 games with limited influence, Zubac thrived with the Clippers. Over ten years in the league, Zubac steadily improved, earning an NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection last season after achieving career-best averages of 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.
This strong performance heightened his value, leading the Clippers to trade him to the Indiana Pacers at this year’s deadline. The Clippers received wing Bennedict Mathurin, center Isaiah Jackson, and multiple first- and second-round draft picks in return, highlighting the considerable return on investment they secured.
Prospects for Zubac’s Role With Indiana and LeBron’s Endorsement
Although Zubac has yet to debut for the Pacers due to a left ankle sprain, he is expected to complement point guard Tyrese Haliburton well once fully healthy. Haliburton, currently dealing with his own Achilles injury, represents a key teammate for Zubac moving forward.
LeBron James, who briefly shared the court with Zubac during the 2018-19 season, expressed enthusiasm for the Pacers’ acquisition. On the Mind the Game podcast, he said,
“I think it’s a great pickup for Indy, especially going into the future, after losing Myles Turner, obviously, to [the] Milwaukee [Bucks]. Two different players, but I think with Tyrese coming back at some point with Zu, I think it’s gonna work well,”
James added,
“Zu works well with playmaking point guards, or playmaking players, and Tyrese is one of our best playmakers in our game. Obviously, you seen what Zu was able to do the last couple of years with James [Harden], so I think it’s gonna be a great pickup.”
Beyond his on-court skills, James predicted Zubac would be a locker-room favorite in Indiana:
“Kudos to Indiana … they saw his talent; he’s still young, relatively, and things will be good,”
“I think Tyrese is gonna love him. … I think they gonna love Zu. He’s good. Great player.”
Zubac’s Contract and Value to the Pacers
In addition to being an impactful two-way player, Zubac is signed to a cost-effective contract. He is currently in the first year of a three-year deal worth $58,650,480, making his addition a smart investment for the Pacers, who remain contenders in the Eastern Conference despite injuries.
