The Pacers traded for Ivica Zubac at this year’s NBA trade deadline, sending two first-rounders along with Benedict Mathurin and salary filler to the Clippers in exchange for the veteran center. Despite changing uniforms in February he wasn’t able to make his debut for Indiana until March due to a lingering ankle injury, but he finally took the floor last week against the Suns.
Now the 29-year-old big man is done for the year.
As reported by the Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak, Zubac suffered a fractured rib on Wednesday in the Pacers’ loss to the Trail Blazers. He is expected to miss the rest of the season while recovering.
Indiana has 12 games remaining on the schedule and was eliminated from the playoffs earlier this month. At 15–50 with a few weeks left to go the Pacers figure to finish near the very bottom of the NBA standings. Which was expected from the outset. Despite making it all the way to the NBA Finals last season, Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles forced the team into a gap year of sorts where the primary goal was putting themselves in as good a position as possible to contend next season.
The Zubac trade was part of that, even if he only ended up playing five games. Longtime starting center Myles Turner left in free agency over the summer and Indy had no ready-made replacement for his talents. Zubac is a different but equally as talented player who should make for a great pick-and-roll partner for Haliburton once he’s back on the court.
But the Pacers will have to wait until the start of the 2026–27 campaign to see that reality.
How Zubac performed in first games with Pacers
Zubac wasn’t asked to do much before he was sidelined for the year. He appeared in five straight games from March 12 through Wednesday night and averaged 23.6 minutes per game. The center scored 11.6 points while pulling down 7.2 boards per night. He also posted four blocks in his five games.
It’s pretty much in line with expectations. Indiana didn’t trade for Zubac with the belief he could offer supplemental scoring. He’s a two-way center who plays best witih a quality ballhandler and will man the paint adequately most nights, with an occasional explosion every now and again. Until Haliburton is back in action the Pacers don’t really know how well their bet will pay off. But the early returns are encouraging as far as Zubac delivering exactly what he was supposed to in relatively brief stints minutes-wise.
Zubac’s absence could help Pacers keep first-round pick
Part of the team’s trade for Zubac included a risky bet on this year’s first-rounder.
The Pacers’ 2026 first-round draft pick was included in the Zubac trade package. But it is protected. If the pick lands in the 1–4 or 10–14 range in the lottery, Indiana will keep the pick. But if it ends up anywhere from the fifth pick to the ninth pick, it will head to Los Angeles for the Clippers to use. It would be extremely painful for the Pacers to exit this losing season without a draft pick to use and the front office will be sweating in anticipation of the draft lottery later this year.
Entering play on Friday Indiana boasts the worst record in the NBA and will aim to finish as one of the three worst teams to earn the best lottery odds. It’ll be a tight race to the bottom, though, with the Kings, Wizards and Nets all checking in at 17 wins or fewer at this stage.
Zubac’s absence down the stretch will be helpful in that regard. He didn’t impact winning too much in his five-game stint; the Pacers lost all five games and were outscored by a combined 44 points in Zubac’s 118 minutes played. But the more losses Indy accumulates, the better chance its first-round pick lands in the top four, allowing the selection to stay with the Pacers.
More NBA from Sports Illustrated
Listen to SI’s NBA podcast, Open Floor, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s YouTube channel.
- The 65 Game Minimum Rule is Ruining the MVP Race
- Thunder Explain Why They Won’t Visit White House to Celebrate 2025 NBA Title
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Shrugs Off Free Throw Criticism in Bid for Second Straight MVP
- Tyrese Haliburton at ‘Really Good Spot’ in His Achilles Injury Recovery
- Why Luka Dončić’s Ridiculous Stretch for Lakers Makes Him the NBA MVP Favorite
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Pacers’ Ivica Zubac Out for Season With Rib Fracture After Playing in Five Games Since Trade.
