Ivica Zubac, LA Clippers
The Indiana Pacers lost to a severely undermanned LA Clippers squad to begin their Western Conference road trip a couple of weeks before. The main culprit? Look no further than Ivica Zubac, who turned in a M O N S T R O U S game with 31 points and 29 rebounds to lead the hosts to victory.
The Croatian big man has been enjoying his most prominent role with the Clippers this season, but the team is never afraid to pull the trigger on potential trades and pursuing available names. With a reported interest in Myles Turner, Indiana could look forward to adding Zubac if they are willing to part with the longtime Pacer or if they perceive that an extension is out of the woods.
Zubac’s skillset is pretty upfront as one of the most traditional big men in the league, but he is one of the best and most consistent rebounding forces in the league. He is also adept at positional defense, able to leverage his long stride to bother opposing players (career-high 1.6 blocks this season). On offense, he does not suck up possessions and has excellent instinct and poise in catching lobs and free passes. If you ask me, not bad for a potential trade return.