LA Clippers: Who is the 3rd best player on the team?

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LA Clippers Ivica Zubac (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /

LA Clippers 3rd Best Player Candidate: Ivica Zubac

As the best and one of few young assets on the Clippers, Ivica Zubac has immense value in concept alone. Once everyone else on the roster is aged, Zubac will be one of few good young players the team might have for the next decade.

Considering how the team essentially gave up absolutely nothing to get him as they fleeced the other LA team, Zubac has had a great return on investment. He also has a very team-friendly contract.

As far as his role on the team goes, Zubac’s importance can’t be understated. The team’s two superstars are both wings, which typically means the center will need to do a great job of taking care of what the stars can’t. Zubac serves as a defensive anchor down low and a much-needed inside presence on offense, as most of the other Clippers resort to jump-shot-centric offensive games.

The main thing holding Zubac back from semi-stardom is his lack of opportunity. In his third season with the Clippers, he is playing a career-high 21.5 minutes (!!!) per game. In this incredibly limited opportunity, Zubac is still contributing 8.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

If his role were to increase, Zubac could be a no-brainer for the third-best player on the team, but until then, he is the runner-up.

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