Ivica Zubac may love to play the game he has always dreamed of, but his body will slowly be damaging itself the more he plays under pressure with no help. Fortunately, he has been one of the LA Clippers’ most available players since arriving, but this should not be taken advantage of by the front office.
Thus, executive Lawrence Frank must find Zubac a top-tier backup immediately if he wants to take care of his franchise center mentally and physically. There should be no reason why the only assisting options are Drew Eubanks and recently drafted first-round pick Yanic Konan Niederhauser on the first day of the 2025-26 regular season.
Furthermore, before the draft, the best and most viable option seemed to be Clint Capela of the Atlanta Hawks. He has played with James Harden in the past, which means he will likely not need much time to adjust and could be the most cost-effective option in free agency.
However, Capela’s name slipped down a spot after the Portland Trail Blazers made the most shocking decision among all the teams drafting in the first round with their 16th overall pick, Yang Hansen.
Moreover, the Trail Blazers are already stacked with young and talented centers, as they were rostering guys like Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, and Robert Williams before draft day. These three could have started on several teams, yet for some reason, Portland chose Hansen, a 7-foot-1 center from China.
This selection makes the trade availability of Ayton evident, moving him an unexpected target for the Clippers, as Portland no longer needs his starting contributions.
The LA Clippers would have the league’s best center rotation, with Deandre Ayton in the second-string
By drafting Yang Hansen, who was initially projected to be drafted in the second round, the Portland Trail Blazers notified contenders unknowingly that Deandre Ayton could be traded for this summer.
This season, Ayton posted 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, shooting 56.6% from the field. Conversely, he played in less than half the season, 40 games, which could be another reason Portland wants to move on.
In a trade, the Clippers should be able to land Ayton and Kris Murray for Norman Powell, Drew Eubanks, Kobe Brown, and Jordan Miller.
Once the trade is complete, the Clippers can sign Ayton to a fair extension and have their center issues solved for, hopefully, the next five seasons. They will also have Murray, a young but promising floor spacer, to develop on and off the court.