The Clippers were shocked the Lakers were willing to give up Ivica Zubac in a trade at the deadline last year, giving up on the promising young rotation center. So much so former Laker executive turned Clippers consultant Jerry West laughed about the Lakers making the trade.
So, of course, the Clippers were not going to let him go. Los Angeles reached a deal with the restricted free agent that will have him back in Los Angeles for years, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Restricted free agent center Ivaca Zubac has agreed to a four-year, $28M deal to stay with the Los Angeles Clippers, Excel Sports agents Jeff Schwartz and Mike Lindeman tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
Not long after he arrived Zubac started for the Clippers, with Montrezl Harrell coming off the bench behind him (although Harrell often closed games and played critical minutes). Zubac averaged an efficient 9.4 points and 7.7 rebounds a game with the Clippers, shooting 53.8 percent. While Zubac got played off the court by the Warriors in the playoffs, that happens to a lot of good big men against Golden State.
The Clippers add a solid, big-bodied center to their contending roster, and he will blend right in.