source: Instagram/@ivicazubac
The LA Clippers have secured their starting center, Ivica Zubac, with a new three-year contract extension valued at $58.6 million.
This deal, confirmed by Ivica Zubac’s agents Mike Lindeman and Jeff Schwartz of Excel, keeps him with the Clippers for a total of $70 million through the 2027-2028 NBA season.
Under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, Ivica Zubac will receive the maximum deal available for three years. The 26-year-old center has been an essential part of the Clippers’ lineup, showcasing his value last season.
Ivica Zubac achieved career-best numbers last year, averaging 11.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. His performance peaked during the Western Conference playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks, where he averaged 16.2 points.
Zubac also ranked third in the league for field goal percentage, shooting an impressive 65%, just behind Daniel Gafford and Rudy Gobert. Defensively, he led the NBA by holding opponents to 49.6% shooting at the rim among players who defended 200 or more shots, according to Second Spectrum.
Ivica Zubac, who came to the Clippers in a 2018 trade from the Lakers, is now heading into his seventh season with the team. He has averaged 9.4 points and 7.2 rebounds over eight NBA seasons.
This extension comes at a critical time for the Clippers. They recently lost All-NBA forward Paul George to the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency. However, they managed to retain free-agent guard James Harden and sign free agents Nicolas Batum and Derrick Jones. Locking in Zubac adds stability to their roster as they aim for a strong performance in the upcoming season.
