Pacers Notes: Zubac, First-Round Picks, Sharp, Taylor
The Pacers saw a big hole in their lineup after Myles Turner signed with Milwaukee. That’s why they acquired center Ivica Zubac from the Clippers in February, even though they wound up losing a lottery pick in this year’s draft.
“You look at these teams that are still playing (in the playoffs), they all have very, very good starting fives. You’ve gotta have five good starters to go deep into the playoffs,” Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan told The Ride With JMV (107.5 The Fan) as relayed by Tony East of Forbes.com. “We can’t go out there with maybe a hole at one of those positions and expect to compete for a championship.”
The fact that Zubac has a cap hit under $22MM to next two seasons and the Pacers didn’t have to give up any core players in the deal made the move more attractive to Indiana’s brass, according to Buchanan.
“This was all of us on board with this (trade). Like I said, we’re still excited about this group. Nothing’s changed,” he said. “Some of the other options moving forward, if (we’d) have waited until this summer, (were) going to require (us), because of where we’re at cap wise, to sacrifice some of (our) core players. And we just didn’t want to do that. With Tyrese (Haliburton) coming back and Pascal (Siakam) still in his prime, we didn’t want to keep the status quo going into next year,” he added. “We’re big fans of Zu. Still are. That’s why we made the trade.”
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- While Indiana lost its lottery pick, the team still has five first-rounders over the next six seasons to use as bargaining chips in a trade –they own first-rounders in 2027, 2028, 2030, 2031, and 2032, East points out. The Pacers cannot trade their 2027 first-round pick right now, but will be able to do so after this month’s draft is over. Also, once the draft ends, teams will be able to move their 2033 first-round picks. “We have some flexibility. We have five of our next six years [of first-round draft picks],” president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said. “Some of those trades where it’s four and five and six picks, they’re out. They’re done. They’ve shoved their chips in and they’re done. And we’ve got a full slate, five out of six.”
- Speaking of this year’s draft, Houston Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp visited the Pacers for a workout last weekend, East tweets. The Pacers currently don’t own a pick, but that didn’t dissuade Sharp from working out for the club. “Everywhere you go, you’re being evaluated. That’s how I approach it. It’s not whether the team has a draft pick,” he said. Sharp is ranked No. 45 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list.
- The Pacers’ G League affiliate, the Noblesville Boom, announced Monday that assistant coach Bryce Taylor has been promoted to head coach, the Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak reports. He succeeds Tom Hankins, who has coached the team since 2021 when it was still the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Taylor has been an assistant with the G League affiliate for the last three seasons.
Pacers’ Buchanan: Spending Into Tax ‘A Very Real Possibility’
It has been two decades since the Pacers were a taxpaying team, but there’s a chance that will change during the 2026/27 season, general manager Chad Buchanan said during a recent radio interview on The Ride with JMV on The Fan, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.
Based on their current salary commitments, the Pacers will be hovering right around the projected luxury tax line ($200.5MM) in 2026/27. In other words, if they want to make upgrades via free agency or on the trade market, it would likely mean becoming a taxpayer for the first time since 2006. According to Buchanan, Indiana is in a “win-now window” and intends to be “aggressive” in its attempts to strengthen the roster, so paying the tax is in play.
“That’s a very real possibility,” Buchanan said. “There’s a lot of different moves that can be made this offseason, whether it be trades or free agency, that impact where you’re at relative to the luxury tax and then the first apron and obviously the second apron above that. You want to be smart and not hamstring yourself. The aprons can be very restrictive in terms of how you build your team.
“(Team owner Herb) Simon and our whole front office, we want to be aggressive and try to put this team in the best position to win a championship. Spending smartly and wisely will be a part of that, but I think we realize where we’re at with our timeline and, for the right player, I think we’re gonna spend.”
If the Pacers had gotten some good luck in the draft lottery and hung onto their top-four protected first-rounder, that pick would’ve had a cap hold exceeding $10MM+, which would’ve pushed Indiana deeper into projected tax territory. Not having that first-round selection will make it easier for the team to avoid the tax, either by operating below that threshold entirely or by surpassing it and then ducking back below it later with an in-season trade.
While Buchanan insists Pacers ownership is prepared to spend on a roster with championship aspirations, only six teams have paid less in total tax payments than Indiana since the system was implemented in 2001/02, per Mark Deeks of Forbes, and only four clubs have gone longer without paying a luxury tax bill (Sacramento and Detroit haven’t been taxpayers since 2004, while Charlotte and New Orleans have never paid the tax).
Still, the Pacers’ willingness to roll the dice on that valuable 2026 first-rounder as part of their trade package for Ivica Zubac in February is a strong signal that they’re all-in on their current window. Addressing that trade and the fact that Indiana was forced to send the No. 5 overall pick to the Clippers, Buchanan reiterated that he and the Pacers’ front office don’t regret making their move for Zubac.
“We wanted to keep the core of this roster intact because it’s shown to be a very successful core,” Buchanan explained. “Having to sacrifice that this summer to go find a starting center only creates another hole for us and that’s not something we wanted to risk. Regardless of how it turned out, I would still make this trade. I’m a big believer in this group. I’m a big believer in Zu. I’m a big believer in the coaches. Although it is disappointing not getting the pick 1-4, I still would do the trade over again.”
Buchanan added that Indiana was deciding between Zubac and another center at the trade deadline and opted for the longtime Clippers big man.
“We had Zu and one other option that were both the same price,” the Pacers’ GM said, per Dopirak. “To trade for a top-10 center in our league is pricey. We made the decision at that point to be aggressive.”
Reporting before and after February’s trade deadline linked the Pacers to centers like Walker Kessler, Jarrett Allen, Nic Claxton, Onyeka Okongwu, Daniel Gafford, and Yves Missi, though Zubac was most frequently cited as their top target.
Central Notes: Bulls, Pacers, Harden, Atkinson
The Bulls enjoyed some lottery luck on Sunday, jumping from the No. 9 slot to No. 4. Their new head of basketball operations, Bryson Graham, couldn’t contain his enthusiasm about the team’s good fortune, according to The Athletic’s Jon Greenberg.
“It’s exciting, man,” he said. “I can’t believe it. I just got the job and I got the fourth pick. It’s crazy, man!”
However, Graham also knows that getting that No. 4 pick, potentially either Caleb Wilson or Cameron Boozer, won’t turn the franchise into an instant contender.
“Let’s not sit here and say because we have the fourth pick and all of a sudden this franchise is back, you know what I mean?” Graham said. “But this is just a good opportunity to add high-level talent to our group and build this, and like I keep saying, layer it appropriately. So it’s exciting, man.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- On the flip side, the Pacers not only didn’t get a top four pick, they had to convey the No. 5 pick to the Clippers, courtesy of the Ivica Zubac trade. President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard issued an apology to the team’s fans over the loss of the pick. He provided more insight to the media why he didn’t get greater protections on the pick. “Everybody says, ‘Why didn’t you protect it a lot deeper?'” Pritchard said, per Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to. That was the vig for us to get Zu. You look at a lot of these big trades that are out there. You see four and five and six (first-round picks) and (first-round pick) swaps around a star with potential. We think Zu is a great fit for us. At the end of the day, this is what is really important. I felt like, for a championship team, we needed a starting center. That was priority one. They’ve earned the right to try to get a championship. That was not doable protecting this to eight or nine or 10 or wherever.” Pritchard added the Clippers would not budge from their demand that the pick only have top-four protection. “It was negotiated,” hehard said. “And we fought like heck. They’re very good negotiators. We would not have gotten Zu if we didn’t protect it to four. That’s just it.”
- Prior to the lottery, Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said that regardless of what happened in the lottery he would be seeking help on the free agent and trade markets, Tony East of Forbes.com writes. “I think one thing this season revealed for us is the need for some scoring off our bench… Probably from the wing position,” he said. “Losing (Bennedict Mathurin), you lose some of that. But I think this team, we have some depth. We still have some holes to fill,” Buchanan said. An upgrade at backup center could also be on his agenda.
- James Harden made several clutch baskets to lift the Cavaliers to a Game 3 victory over Detroit on Saturday. According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, coach Kenny Atkinson gave Harden a de facto pep talk during a phone conversation after Game 2. “It started (Friday). I just doubled down with him in our conversation. I told him, ‘You’re our guy.’ In between games, I think that’s when you really coach,” Atkinson said. “I think that’s where you make your money in this league. You have to have those conversations. Pick guys up when it’s not going perfect. Reaffirm your belief in them. Just double down on the trust you have in them. I was just like, ‘Man, we are good, you are good, you are making the right plays, you are doing the right things, you are helping us, you have done everything we have asked in terms of buying in.’ I told him, ‘Just keep playing to win. I trust you implicitly.’”
Draft Notes: Pacers, Wizards, Mock Drafts, Jazz, Grizzlies, More
Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard released a statement (via Twitter) after the team’s top-four protected first-round pick landed at No. 5 and conveyed to the Clippers. Indiana also sent Los Angeles its unprotected 2029 first-rounder, Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson and a 2028 second-round pick (via Dallas) in exchange for 2024/25 All-Defensive center Ivica Zubac.
“I’m really sorry to all our fans. I own taking this risk,” Pritchard wrote. “Surprised it came up 5th after this year. I thought we were due some luck. But please remember – this team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year. We have always been resilient.”
While the Pacers lost their coin flip, the Wizards landed the No. 1 overall selection, becoming the first team to win the lottery with after finishing with the worst record in the league since the NBA flattened the lottery odds in 2019. Jeremy Woo of ESPN and Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports have updated their 2026 mock drafts after the lottery results, with identical top fives: AJ Dybantsa to Washington, followed by Darryn Peterson (Jazz), Cameron Boozer (Grizzlies), Caleb Wilson (Bulls) and Keaton Wagler (Clippers).
Here are a few more notes about the 2026 NBA draft:
- Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link) has an identical three through five, but he has Peterson going No. 1 and Dybantsa No. 2. While the Wizards will undoubtedly perform their due diligence, Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com suggests (via Twitter) the Jazz would be thrilled if they’re able to select Peterson, whom Keyonte George and other members of the team congratulated. According to Wallace, many people around the league think the Grizzlies will be making a “tough choice” between Boozer and Wilson.
- The mock drafts from ESPN and Yahoo Sports have 13 overlapping players in the 14-team lottery, but there are some differences in where they’re selected. For example, O’Connor has the Hawks selecting Michigan center Aday Mara eighth overall, while Woo has the Spanish big man going 14th to the Hornets. Among the overlapping picks: Tennessee forward Nate Ament to the Bucks (No. 10), Mexican forward Karim Lopez to the Warriors (No. 11), and Michigan big man Yaxel Lendeborg to the Thunder (No. 12).
- In addition to Trey Kaufman-Renn (Purdue) and Jacob Cofie (USC), who were previously mentioned as G League combine standouts, Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link) hears from NBA scouts and executives who said Aiden Tobiason (Temple), Rafael Castro (George Washington), Aaron Nkrumah (Tennessee State) and Nate Bittle (Oregon) helped themselves on Day 1 of scrimmages.
Pacers Hopeful Of Retaining Pick But Won’t Regret Zubac Deal
The NBA will hold its annual draft lottery on Sunday. If the Pacers have some lottery luck, they’ll retain their top-four protected pick. If they drop out of the top four, they’ll convey the pick, courtesy of the Ivica Zubac trade with the Clippers.
Should Indiana drop out of the No. 2 spot to No. 5 or 6, there will be no regrets, given that Zubac is viewed as the team’s long-term solution at center.
“When we made the trade, obviously we knew there was risk involved as there is in any other trade,” Pacers GM Chad Buchanan said in a recent radio interview relayed by the Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak. “With the draft pick involved, we looked at the finances of the situation and the scenario where you keep the pick, the scenario where you lose the pick. We felt that both scenarios provided opportunities to help our team be better next year.
“We don’t want to be standing on the sidelines watching teams go for a trophy. We feel like we have a team that showed us these last two years that we are in that mix when we’re healthy. Shame on us if we don’t try to help put this team in position to have another couple runs at it. If we’re always thinking long, long, long-term, you never step up to the plate and swing.”
The Pacers have never had the No. 1 overall pick. They had the No. 2 pick in 1988, when they selected big man Rik Smits. They have a 14% shot at the top pick and a 52.1% chance to get a top-four pick, with a 47.9% chance that it’s conveyed to the Clippers.
Zubac played just five games after the February trade, spending a month recovering from an ankle injury and then ending his season with a fractured rib. However, he averaged a double-double for the Clippers before the trade (14.1 PPG and 10.6 RPG) and made the All-Defensive second team in 2024/25.
“The core of this comes down to Ivica is a great player,” Buchanan said. “We’ve been a big believer, a big fan of him for a long time. This team has shown that it’s capable of doing some really special things. We were missing a starting center that we thought could keep us in that mix. We owed it to this group and these fans and our community to put us in position to try and do and replicate some of the things we’ve seen these last two years from this team.”
There will be “disappointment” if the Pacers have to send their first-rounder to the Clippers, but Buchanan is prepared to pivot.
“Should we lose the pick, there’s other opportunities to improve our team through free agency,” Buchanan said. “We still have trades. We gain a pick that we can use in the future for a trade. We feel like there’s a way to improve our team either way with the ping-pong balls, however they fall for us. We’re not putting all our eggs into one basket that, ‘Hey, if we don’t keep this pick, it’s doom and gloom,’ because it’s not. “
There’s a specific need he wants to address, with or without the lottery selection.
“One thing this season revealed for us is the need for some scoring off our bench, I think will be important, probably from the wing position,” Buchanan said.
The Pacers project to have roughly $200MM in salary on their books for 2026/27, including non-guaranteed contracts and team options, according to Tony East of Forbes.com. That number will increase if they retain the pick, which would carry a cap hold of at least $10MM+. Without the pick, they’d have access to at least some of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception as well as exploring trade avenues.
“There’s a pretty significant salary slot for a top-four pick,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “Theoretically, there’s the opportunity to use that money, if it’s not being spent on a high draft pick, on some players in free agency or use that gap of money to be a part of another transaction that could help us. Time will tell.”
Central Notes: Turner, Cade, Langdon, Zubac, Walker
Among the free agents who changed teams in 2025, no player received a bigger payday than Myles Turner, who signed a four-year, $109MM contract with the Bucks. But it was a disappointing first year in Milwaukee for Turner, as the big man saw his production drop off and went from playing in the NBA Finals to finishing in the lottery. Speaking to Eric Nehm of The Athletic and Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscription required), Turner reflected on a challenging season.
“It was definitely a rude awakening,” Turner said. “It was difficult throughout the year, obviously, with all the injuries and whatnot. But one thing I was really encouraged by was, honestly, the spirit of all of the guys, man. I feel like, especially on the players’ side, guys had the right approach, and that’s made it more easy to go about the days for myself. It’s obviously been a rough adjustment, but I think that kind of just comes with anything new.”
As Nehm points out, Turner isn’t the kind of player who generates his own shots on offense, so the fact that two of Milwaukee’s primary play-makers – Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Porter Jr. – were injured for large chunks of the season made it difficult for the big man to find his rhythm in the offense. For his part, Turner wonders if he should have done more to advocate for a role that he could’ve had more success in.
“It wasn’t easy,” Turner said. “I don’t want to throw Doc (Rivers) under the bus and say he said, ‘Myles, you’re not allowed to do this,’ or, ‘Myles, you’re not allowed to do that.’ I think a lot of it was me, maybe being a little passive and kind of acquiescing to others when I could’ve stepped up in a different role quicker for myself. But I do think there is a push and pull. It goes both ways. You could put me in a better position to be successful, and then I could be a little more assertive in ways that I have been in the past. There was definitely a lot of frustration on both ends. I think the frustration came more from not figuring it out fast enough, kind of just sinking.”
If the Bucks decide to move Antetokounmpo this offseason, it may have a ripple effect on Turner, who could join Giannis on the trade block in the event of a full-scale rebuild. For now though, he’s planning on finishing out his contract in Milwaukee.
“I did sign a four-year deal, and with that being said, I plan to honor it, that commitment,” Turner said. “All I can do is kind of sit here and wait for direction and go out there and voice my opinion during exit meetings and whatnot. I think we’re in wait-and-see-what-happens mode right now as opposed to what can happen.”
Here’s more from across the Central:
- Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was happy to learn on Thursday that Cade Cunningham has been ruled award-eligible despite not meeting the 65-game criteria, as Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press relays. “He deserves it, you know what I mean?” Bickerstaff said. “That’s what you don’t want to see happen is things taken away from guys that are completely out of their control. I think the league did the right thing.”
- In an in-depth feature for Andscape, Marc J. Spears examines the path Trajan Langdon took to the Pistons‘ president of basketball operations position and the role he has played in the team’s renaissance since being hired in 2024. Within the story, Langdon explained why he didn’t want to do anything too drastic at the trade deadline despite the possibility that Detroit could be just one piece away from a title. “I want to see our guys continue to grow, give them room to grow,” Langdon said. “I didn’t want to do anything that could impact that.”
- After being acquired at the trade deadline, center Ivica Zubac was only able to play in five games for the Pacers before a rib fracture ended his season. Still, he says he “got a feel for how this team wants to play” during that time, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star details (subscription required). “About the pace, about defensive coverages, about defensive rotations,” he said. “Offensively, where they want me to be, what they want me to do. It definitely helped. I wish it was more games, for sure, to get a better feel for it. (But) I kind of understood what they want from me.”
- Playing for a 17-65 team was a new experience for Pacers forward Jarace Walker, who had never been part of a losing team since he began playing basketball. And while he didn’t enjoy all that losing, the third-year forward did take a major step forward individually over the course of the season, Dopirak writes for The Star (subscription required). “I’ll never take this year for granted because I’ve grown so much throughout this season,” said Walker, who averaged a career-high 25.7 minutes per game and made 41 starts before becoming extension-eligible this July. “That’s because I was able to play through mistakes, play with different lineups, play with different people that I’ve never played with before. It’s been beautiful. It’s been a blessing in disguise for sure.”
Clippers Notes: Garland, Kawhi, Jackson, Zubac
The Clippers won their third straight game on Wednesday in Inglewood, defeating another playoff hopeful in Toronto by 25 points, per Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Los Angeles is currently three games behind Phoenix for the No. 7 seed in the West and a half-game ahead of No. 9 Portland.
Trade acquisition Darius Garland continued his strong recent play, putting up 24 points (on 9-of-15 shooting), six assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block in 30 minutes. The two-time All-Star point guard has been on fire since he made his Clippers debut on March 2, averaging 21.1 points, 6.8 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals on .506/.512/.826 shooting splits in 11 games (27.7 minutes per contest).
“You see that he’s enjoying the game and he’s just loving it,” Kawhi Leonard said. “I’ve played with guys like that before and like I said, he’s doing a great job, man. It’s when your hard work pays off, you make one of those shots or you’re just doing good, the excitement comes out of you. So yeah, I’m enjoying it and playing with him.”
Here’s more on the Clips:
- As Carr writes, Garland’s ability to stretch the floor with deep shooting range has created easier looks for his teammates, including Leonard, who finished with 27 points, six rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes. The 34-year-old forward has now scored 20-plus points in 49 straight games, which he attributes to his consistency. “It’s everything,” Leonard said. “That’s how you build championship habits. It’s just coming in every night, playing with the consistent mindset of being in attack mode and wanting to defend. And you want your team to play that way as well. So, I just build off of just trying to win really more than anything because the numbers will change.”
- Fifth-year center Isaiah Jackson was something of an afterthought in last month’s trade that sent Ivica Zubac to Indiana, and he was initially the Clippers’ third-string center. However, as Carr writes in another story, Jackson has been the team’s primary backup five since rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser suffered a season-ending foot injury, and the former Kentucky big man has impressed head coach Tyronn Lue. “He’s been really good,” Lue said of Jackson. “I think rebounding the basketball, his ability to switch one through five on the floor has been really good for us. “(As well as) his ability to run the floor, his offensive rebounds, lob dunks, and being able to post smaller guys when they try to switch. He’s been able to post smaller guys they’ve been throwing at him, and he’s been able to take advantage around the rim.”
- In an interview with Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints, Zubac discussed his time with the Clippers, a tenure which covered parts of eight seasons. Zubac went through a gamut of emotions the week of the deadline — he became a father two days prior to being traded. “It was tough when (president of basketball operations) Lawrence Frank called me to let me know that it was happening and then just kind of being on the phone with people from the Pacers and going through all that,” Zubac said. “Then it hit me that the (Clippers) were going on a trip and it’d be good to go over there so I called Lawrence, he said that anytime I wanted to come by, I’m free to come by. So I went over there, caught a lot of people before they left for the trip and yeah we sat there for five, six hours, I don’t even know, but it just talked about memories and all the stuff that we did and what we went through and a lot of people cried. I cried. It was tough, man. It was tough. You always think it could happen — the trades and stuff — but you never really expect it, you don’t want it to happen. So once it happened, yeah, it was tough.” Injured star Tyrese Haliburton was among the Pacers pushing behind the scenes to acquire Zubac, league sources tell ClutchPoints.
Pacers Notes: Jones, Zubac, Siakam, Draft Odds
As a result of his DNP-CD on Monday, Pacers rookie guard Kam Jones will fall short of appearing in 41 games this season, tweets Tony East of Circle City Spin. That’s notable because Jones’ salary for 2026/27 would have become fully guaranteed if he had reached the 41-game mark.
Jones’ salary for next season is just $2.15MM and it will still be 50% guaranteed for now, so the cost to retain him would be very modest. The remaining 50% of the 24-year-old’s salary will lock in if he remains under contract through June 30.
Still, the Pacers could have a crowded roster situation this offseason, especially if they’re able to hang onto their top-four protected first-round pick. Of their 15 players currently on standard contracts, 13 are under contract for next season, including 10 on fully guaranteed salaries, while a 14th has a team option on his deal. Depending on the decisions the team makes with certain back-of-the-roster players, it’s possible Jones’ spot could be in jeopardy.
We have more on the Pacers:
- Head coach Rick Carlisle provided more information over the weekend on the fractured rib that ended Ivica Zubac‘s season early, according to East. Carlisle told reporters that Zubac suffered the injury during the first quarter of last Wednesday’s loss to Portland. The veteran center had difficulty sleeping that night and underwent an MRI the next day that revealed the fracture. “If you’ve ever had rib stuff, it’s kind of the worst because breathing bothers it. Coughing bothers it. Sneezing is impossible, and laughing, you just can’t do it,” Carlisle said. “He’s going to be uncomfortable for a while, but he will make a full recovery. But it’s a tough break for us because we were looking forward to seeing as much of that core group together as possible and now it’s not going to happen.”
- Buoyed by Pascal Siakam, who had 37 points and a game-clinching block in his second game back from a knee sprain, the Pacers snapped their franchise-record 16-game losing streak on Monday by knocking off the Magic, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. As disappointing as the 2025/26 season has been in Indiana, Siakam hasn’t been the problem — he’s averaging 24.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 48.4% from the floor. “Siakam was spectacular,” Carlisle said of his star forward after Monday’s victory. “Thirty-three minutes, 37 points. The guy’s a great, great player.”
- Despite Monday’s win, the Pacers are in no imminent danger of hurting their lottery odds, Dopirak observes in a separate story. At 16-56, Indiana has a three-game cushion on the league’s fourth-worst team, 19-53 Sacramento. Since the top-four-pick odds for the worst three teams are identical (52.1%) and the Pacers won’t keep their first-rounder if it lands between Nos. 5-9, they only need to worry about remaining in that three-team group rather than staying at the very top of the draft lottery order.
Ivica Zubac To Miss Rest Of Season With Fractured Rib
4:55 pm: The Pacers have officially confirmed Zubac’s injury in a press release. As expected, the 29-year-old big man will miss the rest of the season. He’s expected to make a full recovery, per the team.
10:02 am: Pacers center Ivica Zubac sustained a fractured rib in Wednesday’s loss to Portland, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), who reports that Zubac will sit out the rest of the season while he recovers from the injury.
Zubac left Wednesday’s game early, though his exit happened after he was on the wrong end of a Donovan Clingan elbow, and the head contusion he suffered on that play was the ailment he discussed during his post-game media session. It’s unclear when the rib fracture occurred.
Zubac, who was traded from the Clippers to Indiana at February’s deadline, was still recovering from a left ankle sprain at the time of the deal and didn’t make his Pacers debut until last week. He has been limited to just 48 total appearances this season due to various health issues.
In his five games as Indiana’s starting center – all losses – Zubac averaged 11.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 23.6 minutes per contest. His full-season averages were 14.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, and 2.2 APG in 30.1 MPG.
Although Zubac was able to suit up for a few games as a Pacer this season, the team traded for him with an eye toward 2026/27 and beyond. With a healthy Zubac in the middle and star point guard Tyrese Haliburton back from his Achilles tear, Indiana is hopeful that it will once again become a title contender after coming within one win of a championship last June.
With Zubac unavailable, big man Jay Huff figures to reclaim a spot in the starting lineup. He started 15 of 16 games at the five between the start of February and Zubac’s debut. Reserve center Micah Potter, who lost his rotation spot with Zubac healthy, will likely resume playing regular minutes once he’s healthy. He was inactive on Tuesday and Wednesday due to a right triceps strain.
Pacers Notes: Slawson, Zubac, Haliburton, Bell
The Pacers have been impressed by Jalen Slawson since he signed a two-way contract at the end of last month, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscriber link). The former second-round pick had a big game on Wednesday, recording 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 37 minutes, and helped spark a fourth-quarter comeback that came up short.
“His energy and effort is really, really amazing,” center Ivica Zubac said. “That’s one of the starting things you have to have when you’re getting your chance just to get on the floor. You have to show energy, make effort plays.
“He’s blocking shots. He’s rebounding. He’s making the right reads, cutting to the right spots, taking open shots, taking good shots. He doesn’t really force it. He’s been great, defending his tail off. He’s been doing everything we want him to do and playing with a lot of energy and force. We all gotta play like that.”
Head coach Rick Carlisle also praised Slawson’s defensive activity, and noted that the 26-year-old forward has grown increasingly comfortable on the other end as well.
“He’s making better reads the more he plays,” Carlisle said. “You can see he has good feel. He can drive it. He’s got ball skills. He can throw late lobs and see things. Guys that can do a lot of different things like that sometimes are challenged with decisiveness, but he’s becoming more decisive the more he plays. … We all like what we see.”
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- Zubac was forced out of Wednesday’s loss in the fourth quarter after being elbowed in the head by Donovan Clingan when the Blazers big man was trying to dunk a lob (Twitter video link). As Dopirak writes in another subscriber-only story, Zubac had a sizeable lump on the right side of his head in the locker room, but he said he wasn’t experiencing headaches and didn’t have to enter the concussion protocol. “It’s not like that,” Zubac said. “I just got popped in the head and it swelled up, but no headaches or anything. I feel good.“
- In an interview with DJ Siddiqi of Casino.org, star point guard Tyrese Haliburton discussed his rehab from a torn Achilles tendon, his confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back next season, and more. Haliburton said he doesn’t have any specific goals for 2026/27. “None that I’ve thought through yet,” he said. “For me, it’s just about coming back and being the best version of myself. As far as giving myself an objective or anything, I haven’t really thought about it. Obviously I want to get exactly back to where I was and beyond. And win a championship of course. I just really want to get back to full health and get back to attacking every day as hard as I can being away from the court.”
- Indiana’s G League affiliate, the Noblesville Boom, has officially reacquired ex-NBA big man Jordan Bell, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. As Agness notes, the Boom already held Bell’s returning player rights — he was on the roster in ’24/25 prior to suffering a season-ending left knee injury that required surgery.