Trade Rating for Zubac in 2-for-5 Deal: Clippers Shift Team-Building Strategy, Rated A-; Pacers Strengthen Frontcourt, Rated B

On February 6th Beijing time, the Clippers and Pacers agreed on a 2-for-5 trade. The Clippers traded Zubac and Kobe Brown to the Pacers in exchange for McDermott, Isaiah Jackson, a 2026 first-round pick (protected for 1-4 and 10-30), an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, and a Mavericks’ second-round pick. ESPN later gave a rating to this trade—

Pacers Trade Grade: B

Zubac serves as the "belated replacement" for the Pacers’ starting center, Myles Turner—who left for the Milwaukee Bucks after the Pacers made the Finals.

Like their Eastern Conference rivals, the Celtics, the Pacers are in a "transition year" this season: their core player is recovering from an Achilles rupture, and there is a gap at the center position. Unlike the Celtics, however, the Pacers have yet to find a suitable replacement for Turner, which partly explains their slide toward the lottery.

Isaiah Jackson himself is just coming back from an Achilles injury, with his block rate this season only half of what it was in his first four years. He lost his starting spot early in the season to the journeyman Jay Huff—who provides decent rim protection but lacks consistent outside shooting, hitting only 32% from three.

The Pacers need a center to push for the playoffs once Haliburton returns healthy next season. Zubac not only outperforms their current frontcourt options but is even better than Turner.

Zubac’s performance has slightly dipped this season, with a lower block rate, but he remains in his prime (turning 29 in March, a year younger than Turner) and carries a highly cost-effective contract—earning under $20 million annually through the 2027-28 season. By acquiring Zubac, the Pacers rebuild a solid starting five, positioning themselves to compete strongly in the Eastern Conference next season.

However, the price the Pacers paid for Zubac might be too steep.

The two first-round picks were probably the minimum to convince the Clippers to trade Zubac. As details emerged, the focus shifted to exactly which two first-round picks were involved. The protection on the Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick is notable—if it lands in the top four or falls between 10th and 30th, the Pacers keep it—adding suspense to the lottery night between the two teams.

The top-4 protection clause prevents the Pacers from giving up a top rookie pick for a non-All-Star player, avoiding a nightmare scenario. Still, in this draft class rich with talent, picks 5-9 remain highly valuable.

Undoubtedly, Zubac will have a greater impact on the Pacers. If they secure a top-four pick this season or make a deep playoff run in 2027, they will be satisfied with this trade. Even so, the lottery results and future performance now carry more uncertainty because of this deal.

Clippers Trade Grade: A-

The Clippers previously followed a "dual timeline" team-building approach, with Zubac as the only player under contract guaranteed through 2027-28. But after acquiring Garland, their strategy shifted, making trading their starting center Zubac a more viable option.

Trading Zubac is the Clippers’ best way to recoup lost draft assets—previously, they gave up many picks to acquire Paul George and James Harden. Additionally, the NBA is investigating salary cap violations involving Leonard, which could cost the Clippers their first-round picks.

These potentially lost picks are hard to compare with the valuable picks the Clippers received from the Pacers this June. The last time the Clippers selected a top-10 rookie was in 2010 when they picked Aminu. (They originally had the number one pick the following year but traded it to the Cavaliers in a poor veteran guard swap; the Cavs used it to select Irving.)

The reverse protection on the Pacers’ pick is also intriguing. In 2012, when the Rockets traded Kyle Lowry to the Raptors, a similar clause was included. The Rockets’ pick was protected for 1-3 and 15-30, almost guaranteeing a lottery selection. The Rockets later traded that 12th pick for Harden from the Thunder, who used it to draft Steven Adams.

It is important to note that if the Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick does not convey, it will not roll over to 2027. With Zubac joining and Haliburton’s recovery, the Pacers are expected to become a top team, significantly reducing the pick’s value. Instead, the Clippers will receive an unprotected 2031 first-round pick—too far in the future to assess its worth now.

Other teams might offer two first-round picks for Zubac, but few can match the high ceiling of this offer. Thus, the Clippers’ willingness to sacrifice short-term strength for this valuable asset is understandable.

Trading Harden and Zubac means the Clippers’ remaining schedule this season will be less competitive. This is good news for the Thunder, who are almost certain to receive the picks the Clippers are sending out.

However, it’s too early to rule out the Clippers making the play-in tournament. They currently lead the Memphis Grizzlies by 2.5 games, and the Grizzlies just traded away star Jaren Jackson Jr. Moreover, the Clippers went on a five-game winning streak while Zubac was sidelined with an ankle sprain. Brook Lopez can fill the starting center role, and rookie Nedehauser showed impressive performances off the bench during that stretch.

Besides draft picks, the Clippers also acquired McDermott, a young player they urgently needed at this position. The former lottery pick is averaging a career-high 17.8 points this season with a 37% three-point shooting rate. His ball-handling offense will especially benefit the Clippers’ second unit—whether the team extends his contract this summer remains to be seen.