Zubac sends heartfelt goodbye to Clippers after Pacers trade.
The Los Angeles Clippers traded their longest-tenured player this week, and the emotions hit hard.
Center Ivica Zubac, who spent seven years with the organization, took to Instagram shortly after being dealt to the Indiana Pacers to share a message that showed just how much the team and city meant to him.
"This is one of the toughest moments in my life," Zubac wrote on Instagram. "I'll never forget these 7 years and the love I got here."
The trade sent Zubac and Kobe Brown to Indiana in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks and a second-round pick.
It was the second major move the Clippers made in just a few days, coming right after they dealt James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland.
The back-to-back moves shocked the league, especially since the Clippers had just rattled off a 16-3 stretch and looked like a real threat in the Western Conference.
Seven Years of Growth
Zubac first joined the Clippers back in 2019 after being traded from the cross-town rival Los Angeles Lakers, and he quickly turned into one of the most dependable big men on the roster.
He went from a young, raw center trying to find his footing to one of the better all-around players at his position in the league, and the Clippers gave him every chance to grow into that role.
Last season was his best yet, as he put up career highs of 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game while earning a spot on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
He carried that momentum into this year and was in the middle of another strong campaign, averaging 14.4 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists on 61.3 percent shooting from the floor in 43 games.
He ranked fifth in the NBA in rebounds per game and was still one of the most efficient scorers at the center position.
Clippers president Lawrence Frank echoed the weight of the move in a statement, calling Zubac "one of the best centers in the NBA" and "a pillar of everything we've done for the past seven years."
What Comes Next
For Indiana (13-39), Zubac fills the hole left by Myles Turner, who left for the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency last summer.
With Tyrese Haliburton recovering from a torn Achilles, the Pacers are looking ahead, and pairing Zubac with Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard gives them a strong core once Haliburton returns for 2026-27.
The Clippers (24-27) picked up a win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, with Kawhi Leonard pouring in 31 points to keep the team alive in the play-in race.
But the roster looks very different now, and the new additions are still waiting to make their debuts.
Mathurin was putting up 17.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game with the Pacers this season and brings scoring punch on the wing that Los Angeles needs going forward.
A Tough Goodbye
Zubac's farewell post was about more than basketball.
He thanked the fans for always showing up, the front office for trusting him and everyone in the organization from top to bottom.
It was the kind of goodbye that showed he did not just play for the Clippers, he was part of the family.
The timing made it even harder, as the trade came on the same day he became a father for the first time.
But the NBA is a business, and the Clippers believe this is the path that gives them the best shot at building something for the future.
Zubac leaves Los Angeles with nothing but love, and the fans will not forget him anytime soon.