Ivica Zubac’s Struggles Leave Clippers Regretting Missed Opportunity
The Los Angeles Clippers are feeling the weight of a decision they did not expect to backfire. Despite a slow beginning to the season, the team is now reconsidering their choice to keep Ivica Zubac instead of moving forward with a trade that could have changed their trajectory.
Concerns about Zubac’s age and remaining prime years made the Clippers hesitant to include him in an offseason deal for Kevin Durant. In hindsight, that caution may have cost them. The Croatian center’s disappointing performance — reduced size, fewer rebounds, and less presence in the paint — has made the team rethink their earlier confidence.
Meanwhile, Kevin Durant continues to excel with the Houston Rockets. Even at 37, he has transitioned smoothly from the Phoenix Suns to his preferred destination, proving his offensive brilliance remains intact.
“In June, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported interest from the Phoenix Suns in 28-year-old Ivica Zubac, but the LA Clippers were firm that his home would be in Los Angeles.”
The decision that once seemed cautious now appears costly, as the Clippers witness one of basketball’s greatest scorers thriving elsewhere while their own center struggles to regain form.
Author’s Summary
The Clippers’ refusal to trade Ivica Zubac for Kevin Durant has become a major regret as Zubac’s decline contrasts sharply with Durant’s continued dominance.