Lakers News: Will L.A. Ever Stop Being Reminded About That Terrible Ivica Zubac Trade?

It turns out the Lakers could have used help from the flourishing big man.

While the numbers don't pop out largely, Los Angeles Clippers starting center Ivica Zubac has turned into a serviceable starting big man and currently averages a double-double on the season (10.1 points, 10.8 rebounds). The Lakers seem thin at the big man position, so naturally folks with a memory that extends before 2019 are wont to back the clock and imagine what could have been.

The market for star centers remains thin and despite Anthony Davis doing a phenomenal prior to his latest injury, he's best as a power forward. Zubac could have filled in nicely and it gets heightened even more after his monster game against Myles Turner going for 31 points and 29 rebounds. 

Turner of course has been linked to the Lakers in trade scenarios involving him and Buddy Hield, but this all could have been avoided if the Lakers chose to keep Zubac. Instead, they traded the then 21 year-old big man for Mike Muscala and a dump off of Michael Beasley's contract. 

Zubac has been making the push for Turner that much worse each night he plays and the lack of what Muscala ended up being for the team (via Silver Screen and Roll).

“He put up that 30-30, or 30-29 game, whatever it was, against the Pacers and Myles Turner, purported Lakers trade target Myles Turner, and I got probably no less than eight text messages from executives around the league telling me ‘oh the irony of Ivica Zubac, whom the Lakers gave up for Mike Muscala, blowing up Myles Turner, the guy who is going to help save the Lakers’ season all these years later.’”

Ivica Zubac today:

31 Points
29 Rebounds
3 Assists
3 Blocks
82% FG pic.twitter.com/p1ydbrcU68

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 27, 2022

It never ends for this team, but while the Lakers slowly find their traction they remain without a solidified big man. Moving on with their future first round picks no longer seems in the cards as they continue to ride it out in hopes of a postseason push.