Clippers Ivica Zubac Out With Serious Ankle Sprain

It wasn't supposed to be this way. When the 2025–26 LA Clippers were put together, Steve Ballmer, Ty Lue, and company envisioned a team that, despite its age, would be among the top tier of the Western Conference. Instead, they are the second-worst in the West and fourth-worst in the entire league. Winners of just 2 of their last eight games, the news didn't get any better for the team following Sunday's victory over the cross-town Lakers, as it was announced that center Ivica Zubac could miss up to a month with a Grade 2 ankle sprain.

Quietly producing another great season, averaging 15 points, 11 rebounds, and a block per game, Zubac has been an anchor for the Clippers in the paint on both ends of the floor this season. His ability to set solid screens, finish lobs, and do all of the dirty work battling for rebounds has been one of the major reasons why the team has been able to stay competitive this season. He’s not skilled like Jokic or a unicorn like Wembanyama or a long-range shooter like Towns, but he’s the kind of player at the end of the night that impacts the game by more than what is seen on the stat sheet. 

Teaming with James Harden and/or Kawhi Leonard as the perfect pick-and-roll partner, Zubac rarely hears his number called for many plays in the Clippers' offensive attack, earning his worth off second-chance opportunities and broken plays. Defensively, while not a huge shot-blocking threat, Zubac has been an adequate paint protector and elite rebounder.

After the Croatian big man left the Lakers game midway through the first quarter, veteran newcomer Brook Lopez stepped in as the Clippers' big man. Likely the first option to absorb Zubac’s minutes, Lopez gives the Clippers a different look as a floor spacing big man who does more of his scoring on the perimeter than in the paint. Rather than hitting the pick and roll, Harden and Leonard will likely find Lopez on the flare outside the three-point line. While not the rebounder that Zubac is, Lopez has been a better shot blocker throughout his career, giving the Clippers’ defense a different look. 

Relying on a 37-year-old who was brought in to play backup minutes as your starting big isn't ideal when the team is still hoping for a play-in berth. It's even more pressing when considering the Clippers' need to keep the OKC Thunder from obtaining the much-talked-about draft pick from the Paul George / Shai Gilgeous-Alexander trade.