Given the extreme heights the LA Clippers’ front office stamped Ivica Zubac’s value, it was widely assumed that a contender ready to secure him in a trade would have to pay up. The Indiana Pacers did it, and whether you look at it from the angle of the players involved or the draft picks, they got fleeced.
The Pacers took on Zubac and relieved LA of Kobe Brown, who needed a fresh start as bad as anyone, then returned the Clippers with Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks, and a second-round pick.
Clippers are receiving a 2026 first-round pick from the Pacers, protected 1-4 and 10-30 -- plus a 2029 Pacers unprotected first-rounder. https://t.co/Detz6u6luR
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026
There is no other way to describe what the Clippers did to the Pacers other than a ridiculous robbery, and arguably the best of the deadline. LA essentially landed a chunk of the source of their success over the years in just one deal involving a 28-year-old big man already in his prime.
Thus, the Clippers and their fans know the Pacers lost the trade, but it will be a sight to see the Pacers’ organization actually realize it.
The Clippers took home a mind-blowing return for Ivica Zubac
Within the Indiana Pacers’ trade for Ivica Zubac, there is a lot to examine. The Clippers were smart in asking for players who will immediately benefit them and, down the road, through the draft.
This season, Bennedict Mathurin has been regarded as a star talent. At just 23, his next stop is an All-Star selection, yet in 28 games for the Pacers, he averaged 17.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, shooting 37.2% from beyond the arc.
But, on the flight to Inglewood, California, with Mathurin is Isaiah Jackson, who is just one year older at 24. While he was certainly more of a depth addition, Jackson was good for the Pacers in 38 games this season, averaging 6.4 points and 5.6 rebounds in 16.8 Minutes.
Regarding the draft capital, LA received the Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick, protected 1-4 and 10-30, and their 2029 first-round pick, which is entirely unprotected.
The odds that the 2026 selection falls to the Clippers are currently at 47.9%. This is extremely close to 50%, and though it is subject to change, LA views it as a dice roll with a reasonable chance that the lottery will go in their favor. If not, it will switch to a 2031 unprotected.
For those curious, at this moment there's a 47.9% chance that the Indiana Pacers' 2026 first-round pick conveys to the LA Clippers, which means the Clippers, essentially, are betting on a coin flip this year and, if it doesn't work out, locking in an unprotected pick for 2031.
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) February 5, 2026
Then, of course, another second-rounder was added on top of the one LA claimed from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the James Harden trade.
That said, the Clippers were given a large stepping stone to walk on for a quick rebuild. How much was let go of by Indiana just like that was shocking at first glance, and for the foreseeable future, it is a significant loss on their end.