8. Ivica Zubac
2018-19 per game stats: 6.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.15 SPG, .586 FG%, 0 3P%
VORP: 0.1 8th on the Lakers
WS: 0.9, 9th on the Lakers
DEFRTG (last 10 games, minimum 15 minutes per game): 97, 1st on the Lakers
OFFRTG (last 1 games, minimum 15 minutes per game): 100.7, 8th on the Lakers
MOET: 7
He’s played really well as the backup to the Lakers backup center. He’s first on the Lakers in Defensive Rating over the past 10 games and 8th in the NBA (minimum 15 minutes played) and that stat passes my eye-test. He’s been a beast inside and he leads the Lakers in blocks per game over the last ten contests.
Coming into the season most people either weren’t thinking about Zubac at all or they thought he’d probably get cut halfway through the season. Now he’s shown he’s could be a really good center in the NBA.
I hope the Lakers don’t let him walk this summer to save money for a max contract player. If the Lakers do let him go, I guarantee a team like the Spurs will pick him up on a 3-year minimum contract, develop him, and then let him loose on the NBA in a couple of years.