LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Clippers have remained steady contenders over the last few years in the ever-competitive Western Conference. While expectations on the outside were unclear heading into the 2024-25 season, the Clippers maintained belief that they were legitimate title contenders. At the center of those beliefs was Ivica Zubac.
Zubac entered last season with a colossal opportunity to become a focal point of his team's offense after already anchoring their defense. The result was a career year that's put Zubac in conversations for Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBA team honors, and All-Defensive team honors.
The Clippers center recorded career-highs across the board with 16.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 32.8 minutes per game across 80 appearances. Zubac also recorded a career-high 59 double-doubles and his first career triple-double.
“Last year was a lot of fun,” Zubac told ClutchPoints ahead of the start of training camp. “Going into the season, I knew that I was going to be included in the offense more and that I'll play more. That's how I spent my whole summer, just kind of getting ready for that role and trying to make the most out of it. Once the season started, it was fun, man.
“A lot of people counted us out and we had that chip on our shoulders. Jeff Van Gundy came in with his defensive identity. We brought on guys who are really good defensively, and it was just a joy playing every single night, being on the court for that many minutes, competing, and, at the end, winning 50 games that no one even gave us close to 50. It was a really fun season.”
The Clippers pushed the Denver Nuggets to seven games in their first round series before collapsing in the decisive game. Amid the disappointing end to their season, the franchise retooled and equipped themselves with more athleticism, shooting, size, and versatility.
The Clippers offseason moves
To start the summer, the Clippers reached an agreement on a surprising deal with Brook Lopez. Lopez left the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency following seven strong seasons alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, which included an NBA Championship in 2021. Reports in the weeks leading up to Lopez's free agency decision stated the center would either remain in Milwaukee or go to Los Angeles' other team in the Lakers.
Lopez also happens to be a familiar face for Zubac, who played with the 17-year NBA veteran on the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2017-18 season. The Clippers center was thrilled when he heard the news that his vet would be joining the franchise.
“I was very excited when we signed him,” Zubac said. “Brook's an amazing player and he's been in the league forever. He's one of the best defensive bigs in the last I don't know how many years. He won a championship, he's got that championship experience, great guy, great locker room guy. I can't say enough good stuff about him, so I'm very excited that he's going to be joining us.”
The next move the Clippers made was trading for forward/center John Collins, who had been an afterthought after a couple of seasons on a tanking Utah Jazz team. Collins averaged 19 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block per game while shooting 52.7 percent from the field and 40 percent from three last season before the Jazz shut him down for, essentially, being too productive.
Ivica Zubac will now share the frontcourt with Collins, who is expected to be the team's starting power forward when camp opens up next Tuesday.
“I like him a lot. I always like to play with another big — a four man — more. That was maybe one thing that we missed the most last season, just having like a real power forward. Going against Denver, who was a little bigger than us, I think that was one of the things that we needed and I'm really glad we got him. I think he's going to be huge for us.”
Acquiring a player of John Collins' caliber wasn't possible for the Clippers without trading one of their best players from last season in Norman Powell.
Alongside Zubac, Powell also had a career year for the Clippers that nearly resulted in him being named an NBA All-Star. His media day “addition by subtraction” comments a year ago about the departure of Paul George shocked basketball fans, but the guard backed it up and made another injury absence of Kawhi Leonard's to start the season much more manageable.
“Norm was one of my best friends on the team,” Zubac explained to ClutchPoints. “We talked a lot throughout this summer. We're going to miss him a lot, he was amazing for us last year. He was almost an All-Star, had a great year, and we wouldn't be able to win 50 games without Norm. We wouldn't even be able to get to the playoffs without Norm, so we're going to miss him a lot.
“I'm happy for him, he's going to have a great opportunity in Miami. UTG man, Understand The Grind,” Zubac added, referring to Norman Powell's motto and foundation. “He works crazy every summer, I'm sure he's going to make the most out of his opportunity this year. I expect the same things like last year, maybe even more and it's going to be tough playing against him.”
The trade of Norman Powell and the All-Star caliber season he put together left a crater for the Clippers at the shooting guard position. Luckily for them, Bradley Beal became an available free agent following a buyout with the Phoenix Suns.
Phoenix was a mess the last two seasons with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Beal together. While the postgame boxscores appeared to show solid performances with good shooting percentages — Beal shot 50.5 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from three during his 106 games — those Suns teams were never well-constructed around their stars.
Beal is looking for a career resurgence in Los Angeles, now playing next to an established star guard in James Harden, a two-way star in Kawhi Leonard, a dominant interior presence in Ivica Zubac, and a veteran coaching staff committed to the defensive end of the floor.
“I think he's going to be a great fit with us,” Zubac said. “I think the fit in Phoenix, I don't think it was really good for him. He's got a real point guard now in James and now Chris too. I think that's going to make life so much easier for him. We saw when he played for the Wizards, playing with the real point guard in John Wall and then later with Russell Westbrook, he's a scoring machine. He can get you a 30 points a night, so I think the fit with us is going to be much better and that's going to make life much easier for him.”
The final offseason addition for the Clippers was one they rolled out the red carpet for. Chris Paul agreed to terms on a deal to return to the franchise he helped get off the ground 14 years ago.
Paul departed the Clippers via a sign-and-trade with the Houston Rockets in 2017. Subsequent games between Paul and the Clippers have always had a heightened level of competitiveness. But a return to the place he calls, “home,” should only aid in the Clippers' pursuit of their first championship.
“I think there was always little extra when you play against Chris Paul. He's very competitive, he's got a super high IQ, and he's legend of the game. Just to have him back with the Clippers, I think it's amazing and I think he's going to bring a lot for us. He's a leader, he's been through everything. He's one of the best point guards ever and I think he's going to be great for us.”
Ivica Zubac eyeing another leap in 2025-26
Entering the offseason, the Clippers were limited in what was available to them to improve the roster. The additions of Brook Lopez, John Collins, Bradley Beal, and Chris Paul made this summer a home run for the Clippers, but even more will be asked of the players they retained.
James Harden re-signed with the franchise on a two-year deal and Kawhi Leonard was healthy all summer so he'll entering training camp at 100 percent. But all eyes will be on 28 year old Ivica Zubac, entering the prime of his NBA career when the Clippers need him most.
After averaging just under 17 points and 13 rebounds, playing career highs in minutes and games, leading the league in total rebounds, and receiving votes for multiple awards, where does Zubac improve his game next?
“Everything I did, I want to do better,” Zubac told ClutchPoints. “I want to be more efficient, I want to be more aggressive, I want to get more rebounds, I want to be better with the offensive rebounding. Like the put-backs, I want to be more efficient on that. I want to improve my free throws, but I've been working a lot of my mid-range shot this summer, so who knows.
“In the post, I saw a lot of double-teams last year, so I want to be able to face up and see that double team and if the guys back off, I want to be able to shoot that little mid-range shot. I want to be better with passing out of the double-team, finding the right man, and just trying to improve in everything that I did last year and years before. I'm just trying to be better, more confident, and trying to be better at everything what I did.”
With media day next Monday and training camp beginning the following day in Inglewood, the Clippers are set to embark on a season with championship aspirations and expectations. What lies beyond the horizon, however, is up to them.
“I feel great. I really like the moves that we made. I think the whole team is confident, this roster will look really good on paper, I'm just excited to get it going, for October 1st to start, and kind of see how it looks on the court, how it plays out.
“Like I said, I think we addressed all our weaknesses that we had and I really like all the moves. It's all up to us now.”
