The Los Angeles Lakers’ most glaring issue since the shocking trade deadline deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for ex-Mavs superstar Luka Dončić has been their pronounced lack of frontcourt depth.
Jaxson Hayes has been holding his own as the team’s starting center since the stunning transaction, but the Lakers’ general manager Rob Pelinka will be looking to replace him with a more well-rounded, proven talent at the position to partner with Dončić and four-time NBA champion LeBron James this offseason.
While Pelinka assesses his options in free agency and by scouring the summer trade market, it’s plausible to believe that the perfect candidate to take the floor with the Lakers’ all-time great duo is a former team member still residing in the same city.
By potentially offering up rookie forward Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt and potential first-round draft capital, Pelinka could bring in another major addition in the form of Los Angeles Clippers big man Ivica Zubac to assist with their lofty championship goals.
At 28 years old, the former second-round pick to the Lakers in the 2016 NBA Draft has blossomed into one of the most solid 7-footers in the entire Association.
In what has been a true break-out campaign for the skilled Croatian force, he’s averaging career-best’s with 16.4 points and 12.6 rebounds to go along with 1.2 blocks while connecting on 62.5% of his attempts from the floor through 67 appearances with the Clippers.
Zubac played 33 games for the Lakers during James’ debut season with the storied organization before being flipped to the Clippers via trade during the 2018-19 season, but Pelinka could figure that there’s no better time than the present to welcome the bruising rebounder back to help both James and Dončić raise the Larry O’Brien trophy in 2026.
As a prospective screener in pick-and-roll actions under the Lakers’ head coach JJ Redick, Zubac may prove to be one of the best fits for the team’s generational play-making tandem as a strong and sneakily athletic finisher around the rim.
On the other end, he’s proven to be one of the league’s most intimidating rim deterrents, as evidenced by a fantastic 108 defensive rating per 100 possessions in 2024-25.
By potentially landing Zubac and shipping their No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft Knecht to the Clippers, the Lakers could be perfectly positioned to raise their 18th championship banner in franchise history by the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.
