Clippers, Ivica Zubac agree to three-year, $58.6M extension

The Los Angeles Clippers and center Ivica Zubac have agreed to a three-year, $58.6 million contract extension that will commit him to the franchise for $70 million through the 2027-28 season, his agents Mike Lindeman and Jeff Schwartz of Excel told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday.

Zubac, 27, will sign the maximum deal available to him for three seasons under the terms of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, Wojnarowski said. The 7-footer averaged career highs of 11.7 points and 1.2 blocks per game in 68 appearances (all as a starter) last season.

Zubac also averaged 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 26.4 minutes per game while shooting 64.9% from the field and 72.3% at the free throw line. He finished the 2023-24 season with a player efficiency rating of 19.3.

Here’s the extension breakdown:

2025/26- $18.1 million

2026/27- $19.5 million

2027/28- $21.0 million https://t.co/wcf6wO0j1e

—Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) August 30, 2024

His 64.9% shooting percentage in the regular season was third-best in the league, just behind Daniel Gafford and Rudy Gobert, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Additionally, Zubac limited opposing offenses to 49.6% shots on the rim last season, making him the best player in the league to defend more than 200 shots per Second Spectrum.

In his eighth season, Zubac finished 19th in total rebounds (626), 11th in offensive rebounds (196), 19th in blocks (83), sixth in true shooting percentage (67.1%) and third in offensive rating (132.4).

In Los Angeles’ 113–104 loss to the Denver Nuggets on November 27, 2023, he recorded a season-high 23 points on 9-of-15 (60%) shooting from the floor and 5-of-8 (62.5%) from the free-throw line.

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac will enter his ninth NBA season and seventh campaign with the team in 2024-25

During the Clippers’ first-round Western Conference playoff loss to the Dallas Mavericks, he averaged 16.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.0 assist and played 32 minutes per game in six games.

Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, praised Zubac during his end-of-season press conference, even listing a few other impressive stats from the Croatian big man.

“We love Zu and (would) love to keep Zu here,” Frank said. “I think James (Harden) had a lot to do with unlocking him,” he said of Zubac’s career season. “Zu led the league in shooting percentage between six and eight feet, I think.

“You know, (he) developed a floater with both hands. I think he was second in points produced from post-ups behind (Kristaps) Porzingis (of the Boston Celtics).”

Additionally, he will enter his ninth NBA season in 2024-25 and his seventh campaign with the Clippers, whom he joined in 2018 via trade from the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Clippers lost All-NBA forward Paul George to the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.

However, Los Angeles extended the contract of free agent guard James Harden and the franchise retained free agents Nicolas Batum and Derrick Jones.

Zubac gives the Clippers a shot at the playoffs as the club’s starting center.