Clippers' Ivica Zubac linked to two recent NBA Finals teams in trade rumors

The Los Angeles Clippers’ top trade asset is drawing interest from a couple of notable teams.

Both the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers have expressed interest in trading for Clippers center Ivica Zubac, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on Tuesday. With the Clippers currently sitting at 13-22, several teams are eyeing them as potential sellers ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

Zubac, 28, is an upper-tier center in the prime of his career. One of the more underrated two-way bigs in the league, Zubac is averaging 15.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game this season.

Having recently returned from an ankle injury, Zubac will have a few more weeks to increase his potential trade value. The 7-footer is also on an affordable contract for a player of his caliber, making $18.1 million this season, $19.6 million next season and $21 million in 2027-28.

The Clippers are in a tough position right now as they are currently 11th in a very competitive Western Conference but are actually only 2 games out of the play-in tournament zone (after an impressive 7-1 stretch over the last few weeks). They also have no reason to tank since the Oklahoma City Thunder own their unprotected 2026 first-round draft pick.

Meanwhile, the Celtics were NBA champions in 2024 but lack bite in their frontcourt after Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet and Al Horford all departed in the offseason (leaving only Neemias Queta and Luka Garza to hold down the fort). As for the Pacers, they were a Finals team in 2025 but now have the worst record in the NBA at 6-30 (thanks to Tyrese Haliburton’s injury and a center position headlined by the likes of Jay Huff and Micah Potter).

The reigning All-Defensive selection Zubac would be a natural fit on either of those teams, especially on a multi-year contract. But they would first have to convince the Clippers to sell, and the Clippers may actually end up doing the exact opposite (having recently been linked to a 20-ppg scorer on the trade market).