So much for hoping that the Los Angeles Lakers would undo one of their past trade mistakes and reunite with Ivica Zubac before the trade deadline. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported on Thursday that opposing teams' hopes (subscription required) of acquiring Zubac and James Harden "have faded significantly" after the Clippers won 11 of their past 13 games, following a 6-21 start.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype previously reported that several teams had contacted LA about a Zubac trade, and were told that the Clippers would want at least two first-round picks for the center. The Lakers couldn't have met that price point, anyway.
For now, it seems like Zubac will remain with the Clippers, where he's turned into one of the best defensive big men in the league. Last season was his best since he started his NBA career with the Lakers, as he averaged a career-high 16.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. This season, his numbers have slightly dipped, but he's still averaging 14.8 points and 10.7 boards.
Former Lakers center Ivica Zubac could be off the market
It didn't take until last season for the Lakers to realize that trading Zubac and Michael Beasley to the Clippers for Mike Muscala was a mistake. They were reminded of that haunted decision, though, yet again at last year's deadline, when they traded for Luka Dončić. They traded for Mark Williams shortly after, but rescinded the deal after a failed physical.
Over the offseason, the front office signed Deandre Ayton, but he hasn't come close to having the renaissance the organization hoped for. It'd sure be nice to have Zubac, who is only two years older than Dončić. His presence down low would fix a lot of the Lakers' issues, but alas.
There is always the chance that the Clippers will still make Zubac available over the next three weeks, but admittedly, it is hard to envision that happening. Los Angeles doesn't have a high draft pick to look forward to in the 2026 draft, as it owes that one to Oklahoma City. They have no incentive to lose games, which, luckily for them, they haven't done much lately.
Zubac will stay in LA, just with the wrong team, as they hope to make a playoff run. Meanwhile, the Lakers will be stuck thinking of what could've been, but again, even if he were on the market, they probably couldn't meet the Clippers' demands, so fans can find a little bit of solace in that.