In the fallout from the NBA trade deadline, teams often mortgage the future for the present. Assets are rarely given away, as each carries a different value.
Clippers Executive Lawrence Frank Opens Up About Ivica Zubac Trade
On Feb. 5, the Los Angeles Clippers continued moving assets, a day after trading 11-time All-Star guard James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team sent center Ivica Zubac and small forward Kobe Brown to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for shooting guard/small forward Bennedict Mathurin, power forward Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks, and a second-round pick.
Speaking with reporters Monday, Frank said that while the Pacers met the team’s asking price for Zubac, part of him wished they had not. He referenced the emotional attachment to Zubac, who had been with the Clippers since the 2018‑19 season. Frank said, per NBA writer Tomer Azarly:
“Part of you is like, even though you know if they meet this threshold, it’s best for the organization, I can’t lie to you, I was kind of hoping [the Pacers] wouldn’t.”
Clippers President Lawrence Frank says he told Ivica Zubac the night before the deadline that a team was very, very aggressive in trying to trade for him.
“Part of you is like, even though you know if they meet this threshold, it’s best for the organization, I can’t lie to you,…
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) February 9, 2026
From the quote, the president of basketball operations clearly wanted to keep Zubac. The 28-year-old, while not a household name, is a key contributor on both ends of the floor. While the 10-year veteran averages 10.5 points for his career, he raised that figure to 15.6 this season. Since 2020, Zubac’s minutes have steadily increased.
As a result, his production followed suit. His defense also gained recognition, as he was named to the All-Defensive Second Team last season. Los Angeles received both players and significant draft capital for Zubac, but the move could signal a full rebuild for the Clippers.
Kawhi Leonard, arguably the Clippers’ franchise player, could also be on the move. With one year remaining on his contract, Frank may look to trade him for additional draft capital. Meanwhile, Zubac could have been an affordable building block, even after signing a three-year, $58.6 million contract extension in 2024.
Currently, the Pacers sit at 13-40, the worst record in the Eastern Conference. Starting point guard and franchise player Tyrese Haliburton has missed the entire season after tearing his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of last year’s Finals. Outside of Zubac, Pascal Siakam, and guard Andrew Nembhard, Indiana could begin a rebuild sooner rather than later.
Zubac fits well alongside Siakam and Haliburton. He is an old-school center with a short- to mid-range game who prefers operating inside the 3-point line. Most importantly, he embraces physical play on the boards and in the paint. While not an elite leaper, he provides enough of a deterrent to alter shots.
The winner of the trade will take years to determine, as the volume of draft picks involved has yet to translate to production on an NBA floor.
