Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac dropped 30 spots in ESPN's NBA player rankings for the 2026-27 season.
Indiana Pacers starting center Ivica Zubac dropped 30 spots in ESPN's NBA player rankings for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
Zubac was ranked No. 36 last season. He's ranked No. 66 for the 2026-27 campaign.
"Zubac entered last season fresh off a breakout campaign, during which he finished fourth in the league in rebounding (12.6 per game) while making second-team All-Defense," ESPN wrote. "He was well on his way to averaging his second straight double-double before injuries interfered, and he was ultimately traded from the Clippers to the Pacers. This season, he is the interior anchor for a Pacers squad that will try to return to prominence with their core players healthy. Zubac's rebounding and defense will be a key to the Pacers' postseason aspirations."
Zubac played in just five games with Indiana last season, averaging 11.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest while shooting 47.2% from the field and 80.0 % from the free-throw line. The big man has played for the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers and Pacers. He enters next season with career averages of 10.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
The Pacers lost their first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Mother's Day during the draft lottery thanks to the Zubac trade with the Clippers last season. Indiana needed to land in the top four to keep its pick after trading it with protections to the Clippers for Zubac. The trade sent two of Indiana's first-round picks to the Clippers: one in 2029 and either this year's first if it fell outside of the top four or a 2031 unprotected first-rounder if it did not.
Because the Washington Wizards moved up in the lottery, Indiana landed fifth, so the pick went to the Clippers instead.
The Pacers could have drafted AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson. Instead, they have to pray that Zubac plays like an All-Star next season alongside Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton.
"I mean, it was a coin toss," Haliburton said on Amazon Prime. "I mean, the way I'm looking at the last 12 months for me, dating back from June, I didn't think we were really due any luck. You know, it's been a rough 12 months for me. KP didn't have to apologize. They took a calculated risk. I'm still rolling with the decision and I'm excited to add Zu to the crew and I still think we'll be really good beside him. It's how the cookie crumbles sometimes and I'm still really excited about our group."
