Lakers: The Case to Start Ivica Zubac

With tank mode in full effect, the Lakers must look to the future and start developing their young talent, including Ivica Zubac

The Lakers caught Ivica Zubac with the No. 32 pick in last year’s draft. It was considered somewhat of a steal at the time because so many teams had a first round grade on him. The reason he fell so far can be attributed to the fact that he wanted to come to the NBA right away instead of developing overseas for a few years, which scared some teams off.

Zubac’s overall season numbers are not eye-popping. He has only played in 28 games this season with one start. In those games, he has scored 6.3 points per contest and corralled 3.8 boards per night in 14.2 minutes a game. The numbers mean very little if we look at his work on the season as a whole, because of his limited opportunities. But since January 12th, Zubac has become a rotation regular and is showing his potential.

Including January 12th, Zubac has played in 21 games since then and has put up better numbers than before. He put up a career-high 17 points against Denver on January 31st and has also had three double-doubles in that time span. All of his per game numbers have also taken a positive jump since he joined the rotation.

The most promising thing about Zubac during this span would have to be his rim protection. In just 16.3 minutes per game, he is blocking 1.2 shots a night. The Lakers need this rim protection to help their defensive woes. Tarik Black, who has started the last 15 games for the Lakers, is only averaging 0.6 blocks per game. Furthermore, almost all of Zubac’s stats are better than Black’s during Zubac’s run in the rotation.

Last night, Zubac had a good showing against the Phoenix Suns. In 17 minutes, he put up 14 points on 53.8% shooting with three rebounds and two blocks. Most importantly he was a positive contributor in a rare win for the Lakers. If playing Zubac is already contributing to team success, just think of what the team could be in the future with him getting increased run.

In the starting lineup, Zubac is a great theoretical fit. He is a big body that can work alongside Julius Randle. Zubac can protect the rim while on the floor, which is not something Randle can do. Zubac has also demonstrated some midrange game, another thing Randle can’t do.

Giving Zubac more playing time will help him develop. Young players need time to adjust to the NBA and the elite competition. Starting him would ensure that he went up against the best big men of the other team every night. That would give him valuable experience allowing him to reach his potential faster.

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Putting him in the starting lineup would also be a vote of confidence. Confidence can be everything for a player and lining up for the tip would be a big vote of confidence from the coaching staff. If Zubac is given permission to do what he has to and not be afraid of mistakes, his impact only grows.

One could say that Zubac is still not NBA ready and needs more time in the D-League. But what good does it do him to be in the D-League? Players are only assigned to the D-League if they need more playing time that they aren’t getting in the NBA. There is quite clearly playing time for Zubac on the Lakers, it just needs to be carved out.

The Lakers need to look to the future and that future is the young core. Black has most likely maxed his potential. Timofey Mozgov is on the wrong side of 30. Zubac is the only option that looks towards the future on the roster at center.

With the playoffs out of reach, what have the Lakers got to lose? They should be trying out Zubac in a bigger role. They have already gone with Brandon Ingram as a full time starter, so why not complete the transition?

Next: D'Angelo Russell leading the way

What do you guys think? Who should start at center for the Lakers? What does Zubac’s future hold? Let us know in the comments below!

All stats accurate as of March 10, 17, per stats.nba.com

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