The Los Angeles Lakers have one of the most promising young cores in the NBA, but one player who has been overlooked in that conversation is Ivica Zubac
When talking about the Los Angeles Lakers pool of young talent, the names Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart are labeled as the future. However, one name that does not circulate often enough in that picture is center Ivica Zubac.
Zubac was the Lakers’ No. 32 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. Fans were surprised by the selection as he was an unknown prospect out of Croatia who many had never heard of before.
However, he quickly became a fan-favorite in his rookie season. His quirky, lovable demeanor and goofy personality, coupled with his on-court production allowed Lakers faithful to see real promise and potential in the 7’1″ center. In his first year in the NBA he averaged 7.5 points and 4.2 boards in 16.0 minutes per game.
He would have a disappointing sophomore season though, as his uninspiring performance in the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League led to him taking a reserve role during the regular season, losing the backup center position to Andrew Bogut. His stats declined as a result, and he averaged only 3.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in just 9.5 minutes per game.
It was expected that the Lakers would cut ties with Zubac before his contract became guaranteed this past June 30. But the team apparently felt confident in his potential and kept him on the roster, guaranteeing his $1.5 million contract for the 2018-19 season.
The Lakers are planning to guarantee center Ivica Zubac's contract for the 2018-19 season, league sources tell Yahoo. Zubac had contract guarantee date today.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2018
The Lakers elected to keep Zubac even with a number of developmental centers on the roster. Thomas Bryant was subsequently waived despite putting on a G-League MVP type performance for the South Bay Lakers last year, while the team drafted former University of Michigan standout center Moritz Wagner with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Bryant has since been claimed off waivers by the Washington Wizards.
Zubac will seemingly be the backup center this upcoming season presuming he bounces back to his rookie year form. Newly signed center JaVale McGee will most likely take the starting spot after inking a one-year, $2.4 million contract this offseason.
The Lakers have all the leverage in this situation though, as Zubac’s contract is cheap enough to be used as trade bait in a potential future deal. There is practically no cost for them to “milk the cow” and get whatever level of production they can out of their former second-round pick.
Zubac has shown flashes of brilliance in the past, and most recently put on an excellent performance in the 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers games for his home country Croatia.
After going 1-3 in their first four contests, on the verge of elimination from contention into the upcoming World Cup in China, Zubac willed his team to victories against both Italy and Romania to end the campaign at .500 with a 3-3 record. He scored 12 points in the 78-72 win over Italy, and poured in 20 more in Croatia’s 90-63 domination over Romania.
One focal point for the center this offseason was to improve his free throw shooting. He shot 65.3 percent his rookie year and improved to 76.5 percent last season. In his last two international contests, he scored eight of his 12 total points from the foul stripe against Italy and went a perfect 12/12 in the blowout against Romania. He also reportedly hopes to improve and show off his three-point range.
At just 21-years old, Zubac still has a lot left to prove in the NBA. His game is still raw. He is more of a traditional, old-school center that is becoming outdated in today’s NBA. The low-post dominant threats with no real outside jump shot are losing their luster. His rim protection value leaves something left to be desired as well, but these are facets of his game that will improve the more minutes he gets on the court.
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At the same time, he should not feel entitled to the backup center role right away, as Wagner will be eager to get his own minutes in the NBA versus the G-League. If Zubac wants to remain in LA long-term, he needs to assert more of a presence during his limited time in head coach Luke Walton’s rotation.
With the recent signing of LeBron James, everyone who sees court time with the best player in the world will see their game vastly improve. Having the opportunity to learn from James, coupled with the experience that a two-time NBA champion in McGee has to offer, Zubac is poised to have an exponential leap in the caliber of his play.
Take last year’s Cleveland Cavaliers’ rookie Cedi Osman for example. Although his stats were not the most impressive (3.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.0 minutes per game), his style of play drastically improved after playing a year under James’s mentorship. Osman showed similar tendencies to James in the Cavs most recent Summer League campaign, leading his team both on the court and verbally to the semifinal–inevitably losing to the Lakers 109-112 in double overtime.
Should Zubac take the necessary leap forward in his play this upcoming season, the Lakers can offer a qualifying offer of $1.9 million for the 2019-20 season. If he decides to decline that offer, or if the team decides not to offer it at all, he will become their restricted free agent in the 2019 offseason.
At the end of the day, Zubac has the potential to become a dominant big man in the league. And he should be included in terms of the Lakers’ young core that is going to lead the team to their 17th championship. Although he might not have the same presence off the court as some of his teammates, Zubac can potentially become an immense factor in the Lakers’ future. He just has to make the necessary adjustments to get there.