Clippers reportedly have made starting center available in trade talks
Oct 4, 2017; Ontario, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Ivica Zubac (40) warms up before a game against the Denver Nuggets at Citizens Business Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Clippers are in the thick of some potential big trade talks, and they apparently have made one of their starters available to other teams.
In an article published on Friday for Yahoo Sports, Jake Fischer reported that the Clippers have made center Ivica Zubac available in trade talks. Fischer says that if the Clippers were to deal Zubac, they would try to keep Mason Plumlee, who is an unrestricted free agent.
The Clippers potentially trading Zubac would be a risky proposition. Zubac averaged 10.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game last season and is a big factor both on the glass and defensively. The dropoff to Plumlee is noticeable.
The Clippers are said to be a big suitor for James Harden, who is hoping to be traded to them. In a perfect world, the Clippers might be able to acquire Harden by only giving up the matching salaries of Normal Powell and Marcus Morris, but Philadelphia is unlikely to go for that. Players like Terance Mann and Bones Hyland might be more intriguing to the 76ers, especially since they just lost guard Shake Milton to Minnesota.
Zubac is entering the second season of a three-year deal he signed with the Clippers last year. He is set to earn $10.9 million in the upcoming year and $11.7 million the following year.
