The Los Angeles Clippers enter the 2025-26 season with one of the deepest rosters in franchise history and a renewed sense of urgency. Fresh off a 50-win campaign that ended in a first-round exit, LA added Bradley Beal, Chris Paul, John Collins, and Brook Lopez to complement Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and rising big man Ivica Zubac.
For all the marquee additions, Zubac looms as the true fulcrum of the Clippers’ success.
Why Zubac Matters To The Clippers
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As Zach Kram of ESPN noted, the Clippers were 14.5 points per 100 possessions better with Zubac on the floor last season — the third-best differential in the league among players with at least 1,000 minutes, behind only Nikola Jokić and Dorian Finney-Smith. Kawhi Leonard’s impact was also among the league’s best, but the fact that Zubac ranks in that statistical neighborhood highlights just how irreplaceable he has become.
Simply put, the Clippers struggle to control games when he sits.
A Breakout Season
Last season was Zubac’s breakthrough. Playing a career-high 32.8 minutes per game across 80 appearances, he delivered personal bests across the board: 16.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. His improved conditioning and polished hook shot gave LA a reliable scoring option inside, while his rim protection elevated him to All-Defensive Second Team honors.
Finishing second in Most Improved Player voting and sixth for Defensive Player of the Year, Zubac shed the role-player label. He is now viewed as one of the NBA’s premier starting centers.
The Defensive Anchor
The Clippers’ identity last season was built on defense, ranking among the NBA’s top five. Zubac was at the center of that success. Assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy helped craft game plans to slow opposing stars, but it was Zubac’s rim protection and ability to quarterback the defense that made those strategies work.
The addition of Brook Lopez now gives LA what it lacked a year ago — an elite defensive big to back up Zubac. Together, they should form one of the league’s best rim-protecting tandems.
From Prospect to Franchise Pillar
Clippers fans know the franchise’s turbulent history at center. From DeAndre Jordan’s lob-finishing days to short-lived experiments with Marcin Gortat and Montrezl Harrell, finding long-term stability in the middle has been difficult. Zubac has broken that cycle.
Like Jordan, he thrives in the fundamentals — rebounding, screening, and rim protection. But unlike his predecessors, he has the offensive polish and stamina to stay on the floor in crunch time. If he sustains this trajectory, Zubac could cement himself as the best center in franchise history.
Looking Ahead
Despite skepticism from critics who worry about the Clippers’ aging roster, Zubac believes the team’s summer moves addressed every weakness. “I think the team got much better than last year,” he said. “We got bigger, we got a backup center, we got a four, we got Bradley Beal, we got Chris Paul. I’m super excited to start the season and see what we can do.”
The Clippers’ fate may ultimately rest on whether their veterans can stay healthy, but Zubac has already proven himself as the team’s most reliable pillar. His emergence has transformed LA’s frontcourt from a weakness into a strength, and his presence on the floor statistically makes the Clippers one of the league’s best teams.
If he takes another step forward — perhaps into All-Star territory — the Clippers won’t just be chasing a top-three seed. They’ll be chasing a championship.