The NBA's trade deadline is only a few hours away. Uncharacteristically, there's been a flurry of trades a day or two before the actual trade deadline compared to last season. One of the major trades that has happened over the last 48 hours is the Los Angeles Clippers dealing James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland.
The Clippers' trade came as a surprise: with LA starting to win games just before the deadline, it seemed like the team would either be buyers or stand pat. As it stands, it looks like the Clippers are trying to do a fire sale. Jake Fischer reports that Los Angeles is still looking to move center Ivica Zubac, with the Indiana Pacers being the leading contender for the star big man.
“Sources: After trading James Harden to Cleveland earlier this week, the Clippers have still been receiving calls on starting center Ivica Zubac, with the Indiana Pacers prime among his suitors,” Jake Fischer reports.
The Pacers have been quiet this trade deadline. While other teams have been making a ton of moves, Indiana has seemingly stayed pat. However, that doesn't mean that they haven't been trying to get a player at the deadline. There are recent reports that link the Pacers to Jarrett Allen. Since losing Myles Turner this offseason, Indiana has been looking for an option to replace him in the middle. Allen and Zubac are two players who could fit that mold, with the Clippers center being an intriguing option.
The Clippers are also now free to pursue trades for their other stars. It was reported a few weeks ago that LA's primary focus was dealing Chris Paul. With Paul now off the team officially and Harden traded, it opens up the door for the team to hunt for a suitor for Zubac. That being said, the reported asking price of the Clippers for Zubac is a bit pricey.
The Clippers
