The LA Clippers traded Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers in a confident style. There was insurance involved in the process, as LA received Isaiah Jackson, but the player that will benefit most following Zubac’s departure is the rookie, 2025 first-rounder, Yanic Konan Niederhauser.
The future of the front-court is essentially Niederhauser’s to carry. It was clear that the front office used what they had learned about him to move forward with a trade for their coveted big man, the Pacers seemingly overpaid for.
With 32 games left, the coaching staff will place more of an emphasis, now that Zubac is gone, to develop every one of Niederhauser’s skills. He already loves to dunk and block shots, but it is time to focus on everything in middle, like his jumper, footwork, and IQ.
Once he becomes his finished product, the world will see why the Clippers were willing to let go of Zubac at just 28.
The only way from here is up for Yanic Konan Niederhauser
Yanic Konan Niederhauser may only be averaging 3.5 points and 2.2 rebounds, but through all of the action he has played this season, the key takeaway he has made obvious about his game pertains to pick-and-roll excellence.
This means he has the speed to flourish at a high level, the jumping ability to catch lobs out of the air, and the size to battle in the paint against opposing big men who are ridiculously strong with a wide frame.
Ivica Zubac made a living from the pick-and-roll with James Harden, and for half of a season, Niederhauser watched it happen live, every single day, in practice and in the game. It was like two masters teaching their apprentice.
Additionally, the LA Clippers went and traded for Darius Garland, an expert passer, to deliver dimes to Niederhauser for the foreseeable future.
These two will inevitably click perfectly with each other, as Garland’s playmaking was a major reason why Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley on the Cleveland Cavaliers were All-Stars. On countless occasions, all they had to do was finish the play; the hard, challenging portion was already taken care of by the former Vanderbilt Commodore.
That said, Niederhauser will immediately find himself with more minutes and opportunities, as Zubac takes his talents to Indiana. It will be a direct cause-and-effect, and one that the front office will be proud to have initiated, given the amount of talent the 22-year-old has displayed.