The Los Angeles Clippers on Friday sent center Ivica Zubac and guard Kobe Brown to the Indiana Pacers for a package of Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks, and one second-round pick.
Zubac and Mathurin are inarguably the headliners of this deal, with Zubac widely viewed as one of the NBA’s best big men and Mathurin emerging as an explosive off-the-bench scorer and potential 3-and-D weapon.
Zubac, who is turning 29 in March, was averaging 14 points and 11 rebounds on 61% shooting this season for the Clippers before the trade. Mathurin, meanwhile, was putting up 17.8 points and 5.4 rebounds on 43% shooting for the Pacers.
“This trade is extremely difficult for many reasons, but in order to achieve our ultimate goals as an organization, we felt we had to take advantage of the opportunity,” said Clippers president Lawrence Frank in a statement. “Zu is one of the best centers in the NBA, the longest-tenured player on the team, and a pillar of everything we’ve done for the past 7 years. … We will miss Zu as a player and a person.”
A Win-Win? Zubac, Mathurin as Possible Building Blocks
The Clippers–Pacers deal could be the rare win-win where both teams benefit in the near and long term. Zubac will immediately shore up the Pacers’ front line, which was left with a gaping hole after the offseason departure of longtime starting center Myles Turner. Mathurin, on the other hand, figures to ease the scoring burden off Kawhi Leonard, who’s expected to take on a bigger role offensively with the recent trade of James Harden.
Zubac could also be a building block for the Pacers’ future, as he’s under contract through the 2027–28 NBA season. That means he could be running pick-and-rolls with Tyrese Haliburton in at least the next two seasons. Mathurin’s situation, meanwhile, is a bit trickier, as he’ll be a restricted free agent at the end of this season. But with Harden and his huge contract shipped to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Clippers might have the financial flexibility to re-sign the explosive guard to a long-term deal.
Mathurin, though, might not necessarily be the biggest piece in this deal. Instead, that could be the Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick, which will very likely wind up as a lottery selection given Indiana’s record. Specifically, the Clippers get the Pacers’ pick for the 2026 NBA Draft if it ends up in the five-to-nine range. The Pacers also owe the Clippers an unprotected first-round pick in 2029. In other words, the Clips can add more youth regardless of whether they resign Mathurin at the end of his contract.
