Ivica Zubac Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers Center Ivica Zubac Out At Least Four Weeks

January 16th, 2024 at 7:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Clippers center Ivica Zubac will miss at least a month due to a right calf strain, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times tweets. The team says Zubac will be reevaluated in four weeks.

Zubac has been one of the most durable players in the league over the last five seasons. He has appeared in at least 72 regular season games in each of the past four seasons, but it looks like that streak will come to an end in 2023/24.

In 38 starts this season, Zubac has averaged 12.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 27.1 minutes per game. He’s in the second season of a bargain three-year, $32.8MM contract.

It’s a huge blow for the Clippers, who are 17-4 over the last 21 games. Without him, the Clippers will have to rely on veterans Daniel Theis and Mason Plumlee to pick up the slack. The front office could also explore trade options to fortify the position.

Pacific Notes: Warriors, Curry, Zubac, Beal

January 12th, 2024 at 9:49pm CST by Rory Maher

In search of answers after a poor stretch of games, the Warriors made another change to their starting lineup on Friday night, with Dario Saric replacing Jonathan Kuminga, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link). Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney were the other four starters.

Golden State gave up 75 points to the Bulls at half, which was a season-high for Chicago, and trailed by 13 after two periods. But the Warriors rebounded with a 48-20 third quarter and wound up winning by nine.

Here’s more from the Pacific:

Curry has been in a slump of late for the Warriors, and it’s clear the ups and downs of the season have been wearing on him, writes Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. “I feel like we’ve been in this situation for the last two years,” Curry said. “Even in the championship year, we started 18-2 and then we had some rough patches like this where we struggled mightily. These last couple of years have been rough because of all the noise and distractions, because of the lack of consistency on the court. At least last year we had enough to scare somebody. But we’re far from that right now.”
Center Ivica Zubac has been playing an important role during the Clippers‘ surge up the standings, per Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. The eight-year veteran is averaging career highs in multiple categories this season and has formed a strong two-man game on offense with James Harden while anchoring the paint defensively. “I knew I could play in that pocket, that I could be a roll man on offense and defense,” said Zubac. “I’m confident in my game a lot, so I’ve always been confident. But right now, it’s at a high level.”
Suns guard Bradley Beal had his best game of the season during Thursday’s victory over the Lakers in Los Angeles, recording 37 point (on 14-of-21 shooting, including 8-of-10 from deep), six rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes. In a story for Sportskeeda, Mark Medina describes Beal’s transition to Phoenix, writing that the three-time All-Star has drawn rave reviews for fitting in so well with the team, despite dealing with injuries for much of 2023/24. “Brad is one of the best players in the world,” Kevin Durant said. “To see an opportunity to see that close up and see a guy every day and see who he truly is as a player and then you come out there and get moments like that, that’s always fun. I enjoy seeing my teammates cook like that. We’re going to need more from him because that ignites the bench and it ignites the crowd, even if we’re on the road.”

Pacific Notes: Green, Durant, Clippers, Lakers

November 27th, 2023 at 1:36pm CST by Rory Maher

Speaking to the media on Sunday for the first time since he received a five-game suspension for putting Rudy Gobert in a headlock for several seconds, Warriors forward/center Draymond Green expressed no remorse for actions, writes Kendra Andrews of ESPN.

“I don’t live my life with regrets,” Green said. “I’ll come to a teammate’s defense any time that I’m in a position to come to a teammate’s defense. … What matters to me is how the people that I care about feel, first and foremost. How are the people that I care about affected? How are the people I care about, what do they have to deal with? That’s it for me.”

Head coach Steve Kerr initially defended Green in the aftermath of the incident between Golden State and Minnesota, but he later changed his stance and said the forward’s behavior was “inexcusable” and the suspension was deserved. While Green didn’t outright disclose any specific details about the talks he had with Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., it’s pretty clear they want him to make better decisions going forward, according to Andrews.

“The consensus amongst all of us is that I’m going to be me no matter what. That’s not going to change,” Green said. “But in saying that, there’s always a better way that something can be done. So it’s figuring out a better way. That’s the consensus among all of us.”

Green, who also complained about being harshly penalized in part due to his past transgressions, won’t be on a minutes restriction when he returns for Tuesday’s matchup in Sacramento since he wasn’t injured, Andrews notes.

Here’s more from the Pacific:

Suns star Kevin Durant missed his second straight game on Sunday in New York due to right foot soreness, as ESPN.com relays. Durant, who warmed up before contest before being ruled out, is considered day-to-day. Phoenix’s next game isn’t until Wednesday in Toronto, so he’ll have some extra rest the next couple days.
Saturday’s decisive victory over Dallas showcased the Clippers‘ depth, according to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. With James Harden and Kawhi Leonard struggling for a second consecutive game, the Clips got key contributions from Russell Westbrook (14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, eight rebounds, seven assists), Terance Mann (17 points on 7-of-14 shooting), Norman Powell (15 points without missing a shot), and Ivica Zubac (11 points on 5-of-8 shooting, 14 rebounds), Greif writes.
With Cam Reddish (left adductor), Rui Hachimura (nasal fracture), Jarred Vanderbilt (left heel bursitis) and Gabe Vincent (left knee effusion) all sidelined on Saturday in Cleveland, the Lakers used a shortened eight-man rotation, per Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group. Head coach Darvin Ham says they need to “weather the storm” until they get some players back. “You have to see the glass half full always, so I’d rather this happen now with some of our guys as opposed to late March, April going into that money time,” Ham said. “We just have to weather the storm. That’s why you try to put together a deep roster. I think the plan for our team that we put together and tried to execute this summer is coming to fruition. We’re needing these pieces, being deep at every position allows you a chance to weather all of this to try to get through it at the highest level possible.” After starting the season 3-5, the Lakers have won seven of their past nine games and hold a 10-7 record.

James Harden To Make Clippers Debut On Monday

November 5th, 2023 at 11:49am CST by Luke Adams

Star guard James Harden will make his first appearance of the 2023/24 season on Monday, according to Shams Charania and Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that Harden will make his Clippers debut in New York vs. the Knicks.

The expectation, per The Athletic’s duo, is that Harden will start alongside Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Ivica Zubac.

There had been some speculation that Westbrook might be moved to the bench to play the sort of sixth man role he did with the Lakers during the first half of last season. That would allow the Clippers to stagger their ball-dominant players a little more. However, it sounds like the team will look to make it work with a starting five that features a pair of former MVPs in the backcourt alongside star forwards George and Leonard.

Harden had yet to play this season for Philadelphia prior to Wednesday’s blockbuster trade that sent him to Los Angeles, but 76ers head coach Nick Nurse and Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue both told reporters that the 34-year-old looked great in practices, so he wasn’t expected to require an extended ramp-up period.

The Clippers last played on Wednesday and are in the midst of four consecutive days off, giving them ample time to get Harden up to speed. The club’s other newcomer, P.J. Tucker, played nearly 21 minutes on Wednesday, about 12 hours after the trade was officially finalized.

International Notes: Serbia, Bahamas, Gordon, Croatia

August 22nd, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The Serbian national team has officially announced its 12-man roster for the 2023 World Cup, which tips off on Friday (Twitter link). The Serbians are missing star center Nikola Jokic, along with accomplished veteran guard Vasilije Micic, who made the move from the EuroLeague to the NBA this offseason.

However, the squad still features multiple current and former NBA players, starting with Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. Heat forward Nikola Jovic, Sixers big man Filip Petrusev, and former Grizzlies guard Marko Guduric are among the notable players representing Serbia at this year’s World Cup.

Here are a few more notes from around the international basketball world:

The Bahmas defeated Argentina on Sunday in the final of an Olympic pre-qualifying tournament, with Suns guard Eric Gordon scoring a game-high 27 points, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Following the Bahamian victory, former NBA forward Andres Nocioni – who won an Olympic gold medal with Argentina in 2004 – questioned whether it was fair for FIBA to allow Gordon to suit up for the Bahamas despite representing Team USA earlier in his international career (Twitter link). “Let’s not lose the essence of international competitions,” Nocioni added in a follow-up tweet.
A Croatian team led by Warriors forward Dario Saric and Clippers center Ivica Zubac scored an upset victory over Alperen Sengun and Turkey in the final of another Olympic pre-qualifying tournament on Sunday, as Eurohoops details. Croatia, the Bahamas, Cameroon, Poland, and Bahrain won this month’s pre-qualifying tournament to secure spots in next year’s Olympic qualifiers.
Vangelis Papadimitriou of Eurohoops highlights a handful of non-U.S. NBA players who could be difference-makers in this year’s World Cup, including Canadian forward RJ Barrett and Dominican big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

Trade Rumors: Harden, Bulls, Zubac, Brogdon, Osman, Morris

June 30th, 2023 at 2:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

There’s no urgency for the Sixers to complete a James Harden trade, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said Friday in an appearance on “Get Up” (video link). Even though Harden has asked to be dealt and seems to prefer the Clippers, Wojnarowski notes that the track record of president of basketball operations Daryl Morey suggests he’ll explore all available possibilities before committing to a deal.

“You may let free agency settle,” Wojnarowski said, “see where players land, see where needs arise for different teams that might not be interested today but could be in a few days. I don’t anticipate necessarily that this is going to be quick because it doesn’t have to.”

Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times also hears that a Harden trade may not happen right away. He cites league sources who said they’ll be watching how patient the Sixers decide to be and what they’ll be seeking in return. Greif names Terance Mann as a player the Clippers might be reluctant to include in a Harden deal.

There are more trade rumors to pass along:

The Bulls may be an option for Harden, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Chicago has already explored trade scenarios regarding Zach LaVine and might be willing to part with DeMar DeRozan to acquire Harden. Fischer also cautions that Morey has a lot of options to consider before deciding how to handle Harden’s trade request.
The Clippers, who would like to re-sign Mason Plumlee have let teams know that Ivica Zubac is available in a trade, Fischer adds. L.A. may also have interest in acquiring P.J. Tucker in a Harden deal, as Fischer notes that the Clippers previously reached out to him when he was a free agent.
The Clippers pulled out of an original version of the three-team Kristaps Porzingis trade because of medical concerns regarding Malcolm Brogdon, but they recently contacted the Celtics about Brogdon again, according to Fischer. L.A. was also willing to offer Norman Powell to the Wizards for Chris Paul before the Warriors landed him in exchange for Jordan Poole, Fischer states.
Fischer hears that the Cavaliers are engaged in trade talks regarding Cedi Osman and offered him to the Nets in a deal for Dorian Finney-Smith or Royce O’Neale.
Numerous teams have reached out to the Wizards about point guard Monte Morris, Fischer adds. The Timberwolves, Bulls, Pelicans, Jazz and Nets are all considered possibilities for Morris, and Fischer believes the Heat could be added to the list if they lose Gabe Vincent in free agency.

Pacific Notes: Covington, Zubac, Westbrook, Durant, Curry

March 6th, 2023 at 7:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Robert Covington has played sparingly the last six weeks and the Clippers forward believes he can be a defensive force if he gets back in the rotation, he told Law Murray of The Athletic.

“I bring a different thing to this team,” said Covington, who is signed through next season with the Clippers. “And it’s one of the things, one of the reasons why they brought me here. It’s being that disruptor on it. Being a disruptor off the ball. Seeing things and reading it right. Watching plays really develop, and just getting a knack for getting my hands on the basketball. Creating an opportunity for us on the defensive side and creating transition plays. And getting out and running.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Clippers center Ivica Zubac has been pleasantly surprised by what Russell Westbrook has brought to the team since Westbrook cleared waivers and signed as a free agent, Tomer Azarly of Clutch Points tweets. “Honestly, it’s way better than I thought it would be,” Zubac said. “He’s a great leader also, he’s very vocal, something we needed… He has a great attitude, always smiling, laughing, being very positive.”
The Suns have a renewed spirit since Kevin Durant joined the lineup, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. The Suns are 3-0 with Durant in uniform and Phoenix once again has the look of a true contender. “Even in the postgame, a lot of people are saying we feel fresh. We play team basketball,” Devin Booker said.
The Warriors had a five-game winning streak halted by the Lakers on Sunday. Stephen Curry returned from a leg injury that sidelined him for 11 games and he knows their season could go in many different directions. “It’s weird to say, we’re still trying to win championships but we’re trying to avoid the play-in,” he said, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “Both can be true. … Until we get beat, we still feel we’re a tough matchup for anybody. That is the confidence we’ve got to have down the stretch.”

Norman Powell Sidelined With Left Shoulder Subluxation

March 3rd, 2023 at 9:10pm CST by Rory Maher

The Clippers are missing several rotation regulars for their game on Friday in Sacramento, tweets Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times.

Forward Kawhi Leonard is out on the second of a back-to-back due to right knee injury management, forward Marcus Morris is out with an injured elbow, and center Ivica Zubac, who has missed three of the past four games with a strained right calf, remains sidelined.

The most noteworthy injury on the injury report is swingman Norman Powell, who was ruled out with a left shoulder subluxation — that’s the same injury that Stephen Curry sustained earlier this season, which caused him to miss 11 games (just under four weeks).

As Greif notes, Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes.com wrote about shoulder subluxation at the time of Curry’s injury and stated that the average absence since the 2005/06 season for a player dealing with that issue is approximately 21 days.

The Clippers have stated that Powell will undergo treatment and therapy for at least the next week (Twitter link via Greif). At that point, the team should have a clearer sense of when he’ll be able to return to action.

Powell is L.A.’s third-leading scorer this season at 16.6 points per game, so he’ll certainly be missed. However, it’s possible his absence (and others) will help simplify some rotation decisions for Tyronn Lue, who is still determining how best to use the Clippers’ new-look roster after the team added Eric Gordon, Mason Plumlee, Bones Hyland, and Russell Westbrook in recent weeks.

Clippers Notes: Westbrook, Mann, Zubac, George

February 25th, 2023 at 9:40am CST by Arthur Hill

Scoring 175 points wasn’t enough for the Clippers to win Friday night, but their newly signed point guard looked right at home during the offensive display, writes Jim Alexander of The Orange County Register. Russell Westbrook posted 17 points and 14 assists in his first game with the team and received a standing ovation when he fouled out in the second overtime of the second-highest scoring game in NBA history.

Westbrook didn’t officially become a Clipper until after he cleared waivers on Wednesday following a buyout with the Jazz, so he had limited practice time to get familiar with his new teammates. Coach Tyronn Lue said Westbrook learned the basics of the team’s offense quickly and “he knew enough” to handle a starting role.

“Knowing (Paul George)’s plays, knowing Kawhi (Leonard)’s plays, that’s the most important thing,” Lue said. “So he picked those things up right away. There’s still a lot more that we can still incorporate and learn on the fly. But I thought he did a good job knowing the plays and knowing the play calls, and he did a good job with it.”

Westbrook welcomes the chance for a new opportunity after a frustrating season and a half with the Lakers. He didn’t mention his former team by name after Friday’s contest, but he alluded to having the Clippers’ veteran stars as advocates for signing him, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

“Just the ability to be able to go out and compete,” Westbrook said when asked about his debut. “I think that’s something I don’t take for granted, being somewhere (and) given an opportunity to go play. Not just that, but the support of the organization, my teammates, the fans, overall, it’s a great debut but just didn’t get the win.”

There’s more on the Clippers:

Lue said the first game with Westbrook was a “learning” experience for him in regard to setting rotations, Youngmisuk tweets. Terance Mann only played 18 minutes, and Lue admitted that Mann wasn’t used enough.
Although the Clippers set a few scoring records Friday, they sometimes looked like a team whose key players haven’t played together very much, observes Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. L.A. committed 25 turnovers, including four straight during a crucial fourth quarter stretch that allowed the Kings to tie the game.
Ivica Zubac missed Friday’s game with a strained right calf and is considered day-to-day, Greif tweets. Lue said George is on a minutes restriction, but there are no restrictions for Leonard or Westbrook.

Clippers Notes: Westbrook, George, Zubac, Hyland

February 24th, 2023 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The day after the trade deadline, star forward Paul George told reporters that he wanted Russell Westbrook to end up with the Clippers. Two weeks later, with Westbrook on the verge of making his Clippers debut, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested on his Hoop Collective podcast that George’s advocacy for the former MVP was the driving force behind the team’s decision to sign him.

“From what I understand, they were internally against (signing Westbrook) at the start,” Windhorst said, per RealGM. “Paul pushed for it publicly and privately. Kawhi (Leonard) supported it. And they looked more into it and they were like ‘Well, you know, there are some things he can potentially help us with. One of the things that’s a factor for us is we tend to kind of get a little loaf-y.’ They talked themselves into it, is the long story short.”

Windhorst’s reporting doesn’t come as a real surprise — comments made by president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank after the trade deadline indicated he wasn’t initially targeting a player like Westbrook. Frank spoke about wanting a point guard who wouldn’t be very ball dominant and who has “got to be able to shoot.” Westbrook, a 29.6% three-point shooter this season, is at his best with the ball in his hands.

Still, as Windhorst alluded to, and as ESPN’s Zach Lowe writes in an Insider-only story, the Clippers only rank 20th in the NBA in drives this season and are tied for 23rd in shots at the rim. Plus, they have more shooting around Westbrook than the Lakers did, so there are reasons to believe the veteran’s fit could be better with L.A. other’s team.

Here’s more on the Clippers:

Ahead of Westbrook’s debut with the Clippers, Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, and Jovan Buha and Law Murray of The Athletic all evaluated the 34-year-old’s potential fit and discussed whether or not they think the match will be a good one.
The Westbrook signing should be viewed as an endorsement for head coach Tyronn Lue and the Clippers’ stars, Murray writes for The Athletic. As Murray explains, the move signals that the front office is willing to listen to its players and trusts Lue to make the best decisions for the team.
The Clippers will be without starting center Ivica Zubac in their first game after the All-Star break on Friday due to a right calf strain, tweets Greif. The injury should open the door for recently acquired big man Mason Plumlee, who played 17 and 18 minutes in his first two games with the Clippers, to take on a bigger role.
Former Nuggets and current Clippers guard Bones Hyland repeatedly cited “miscommunication” as an issue that led to his exit from Denver, where he felt “kicked to the curb,” according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. So far though, communication hasn’t been a problem for Hyland with the Clippers, even though his playing time may take a hit following the addition of Westbrook. “I understand (Lue) has a good plan for me,” Hyland said. “I know he’s not just going to leave me in a desert, man, just by myself. … The first thing he did (after the Westbrook signing) was call me over and talk to me one-on-one. That’s something I respect about Ty Lue.”