Ivica Zubac General Thread

[Captain Ballmer]

I look for a Zu extension news thread but couldn't find one. Only Terance Mann thread was available so I decied to open one general thread for him. Because I think he became the most important player(contract, face) for this franchise.

This season Clippers has +6,0 better when Zu is on the court(59 games), 3rd best behing Kawhi(+9) and Powell(+6,5). However, Zu is leading on/off number with(+11,1) ahead of Norm (+10,2) and Kawhi (+9,0). This number correlates with how bad Bamba and Eubanks are as a backup bigs put some calories to Zu's on court ratings but also shows we are as good as Zu performs.

In 32 win when Zu plays, he has a net rating of +19,3. Marvelous. In the 27 loss when Zu plays his net rating was(-9,0). The difference is almost same for James Harden. We are as good as Zu unlocked.

Zu outperforms every expectations from every level. I want to see him take more than 11.2 FGA per game. 15+ FGA is should be goal. 20 pts-12reb is within his reach. Next season at age 28, he might need to be face of this franchise for next season.

[Clemenza]

Move Kawhi and Harden and build around Zu. Keep Norm as well if he wants to stick around. Zu's gotta start shooting the mid range shot and some threes next season. Go ahead and let him be "that guy".

[og15]

Move Kawhi and Harden and build around Zu. Keep Norm as well if he wants to stick around. Zu's gotta start shooting the mid range shot and some threes next season. Go ahead and let him be "that guy".

Can't build around players like Zu, come on lol

That's different from keeping him as a critical piece, but building around a guy means you're making your moves based on maximizing that guy and his strengths and weaknesses. You don't do that just for very good players, you do that for tier 1 and tier 2 star players.

[MartinToVaught]

Move Kawhi and Harden and build around Zu.

I love Zu, but any rebuild would have to involve trading him too. He's our highest-value teade asset right now and at this point he'll be old and washed by the time we're relevant again, so it makes no sense to keep him. We should have sold high on him and Norm at the trade deadline this year.

[TrueLAfan]

Zu's a great piece and he's a very good player (that should be getting a lot more run in the All-D team conversations, IMO) having kind of a career year. but ... it's a bit like Norm. Norm is a really good player having a career year--but I don't think you can *build* around him. Both he and Zu are secondary players. That's not an insult or demeaning--players like that are super important and should be well compensated. But when you start to think they're star level players--players you can build around, in other words--their weaknesses get amplified. Perfect example that we're familiar with: Tobias Harris. Great guy. Very good player. He'd be a terrific #3 guy on a top level team. but if you ask him for more ... he'll give you numbers, but they won't have the impact. Another example--Julius Randle. I like Randle for what he is--he's a complimentary piece. People keep wanting him to be more. Doesn't work and gets a lot of hate.

Anyway, Zu has 3 years/$60 million after this. He's probably underpaid, but not by a whole lot. Just hope he stays healthy and, ideally, consistent at this level.

[The High Cyde]

His progress has been great to see as a fan, one of the few bright takeaways from this era.

[Captain Ballmer]

Big Zu played 2nd game of the back to back and looked much more aggressive yesterday than Jalen Duren who was younger, rested and on a tear lately with this emerging Pistons team.

Duren fouled out in 26 minutes only with 7 pts 4 reb while BİG ZU Alcindor got 22 pts 11 reb. More importantly he shot 20 times. Aggressive Zu me likey.

[Captain Ballmer]

Another 20-10 game against the Kings from our boy. All-NBA defensive team selection on the horizon?

Embiid-Davis-Wemby all ineligible for the bigs. Jaren Jackson Jr injured atm. Mobley and Bam Adebayo are the only 2 i would put before Zu. All-Nba def 2nd team is kinda lock.

[Clemenza]

Move Kawhi and Harden and build around Zu. Keep Norm as well if he wants to stick around. Zu's gotta start shooting the mid range shot and some threes next season. Go ahead and let him be "that guy".

Can't build around players like Zu, come on lol

That's different from keeping him as a critical piece, but building around a guy means you're making your moves based on maximizing that guy and his strengths and weaknesses. You don't do that just for very good players, you do that for tier 1 and tier 2 star players.

What I mean is not technically building around him, but if you move on from Klaw and Harden he's a guy to keep around, maybe Norm too. Zu and Norm aren't first options on offense, but in reality, first options on offense -stars and superstars- might become a rarity in the upcoming years. Ant Edwards, Cade Cunningham, Banchero(?), Wemby(?) I guess are the newcomer first options. Nearly every star/superstar is either locked up in a deal or in the waning years near retirement. You gotta draft a guy and turn him into a star/first option. This new era of team construction might be piling up a bunch of 2nd and 3rd option-borderline stars and making a go out of it.

That's where my "build around Zu" comment comes from. We're supposedly treading water until 2026 where we get open cap space and another max slot opens up, but if its not Giannis who are we giving a max to? Can't pay a "Bradley Beal-Paul George" type so-called star $50 million plus a season that doesn't move the needle and is injured all the time. Those days have to be over with. Nobody is coming to save us once we get more cap space available. Build around Zu and Norm and then that opens the door for a star to emerge at the guard, wing, and power forward positions. If if were to come down to that. I'm still hoping for the best with the team we have now.

[Captain Ballmer]

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Highly regarded Ware & PF Adebayo of recent just shutted down tonight. Combined 4-11 fg with only 10 points.

[wakelaunch1]

zubac is the best player on the team, followed by Harden, than Powell, than Kawhi

[Clemenza]

zubac is the best player on the team, followed by Harden, than Powell, than Kawhi

I could be wrong, but it does look like Brain Shaw is running more plays for Zu as opposed to Ty Lue. Something to keep an eye on

[esqtvd]

Zu's per-36 and per-100 possessions numbers [points and rebs] are at or near career highs, but the real difference is that he's playing monster minutes, inflating his gross production. Maintaining your efficiency while growing your numbers is always the trick for younger players, and Zu had stalled over the past few years. 24 mpg seemed to be his sweet spot. When they pushed his minutes, his efficiency went down.

This year, he's averaging 32 mpg, and his gross totals are at a career high [by far] of 16.2 ppg and 12.5 rpg. Plus he played the Olympics this summer. Dunno if he's just in better shape or if he's learned to pace himself. His blocks and FTAs are down from career highs and his PFs are down significantly [2.4 per 100; career average 3.8]. He may have learned not to waste energy chasing every ball and saving it for what counts.

He was always about half a center because he couldn't handle a full workload efficiently, but now he's crossed the bridge to being a full-fledged NBA starter. He even looks fresh in the 4th quarter!

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/z/zubaciv01.html

[wakelaunch1]

zubac is the best player on the team, followed by Harden, than Powell, than Kawhi

I could be wrong, but it does look like Brain Shaw is running more plays for Zu as opposed to Ty Lue. Something to keep an eye on

The push shot by Zu right now is our best play. It used to be Kawhi s midrange shot. Anything where Zu gets an efficient look at the basket feels like its going in. His touch and hands have gotten so much better. Granted Harden helped unlock it but I feel like thats on the GM/coach for finding the right kind of point guard who knows how to put a big in a position to succeed. I have even seen some nice setups by Bogie to Zu.

[madmaxmedia]

Move Kawhi and Harden and build around Zu. Keep Norm as well if he wants to stick around. Zu's gotta start shooting the mid range shot and some threes next season. Go ahead and let him be "that guy".

Can't build around players like Zu, come on lol

That's different from keeping him as a critical piece, but building around a guy means you're making your moves based on maximizing that guy and his strengths and weaknesses. You don't do that just for very good players, you do that for tier 1 and tier 2 star players.

What I mean is not technically building around him, but if you move on from Klaw and Harden he's a guy to keep around, maybe Norm too. Zu and Norm aren't first options on offense, but in reality, first options on offense -stars and superstars- might become a rarity in the upcoming years. Ant Edwards, Cade Cunningham, Banchero(?), Wemby(?) I guess are the newcomer first options. Nearly every star/superstar is either locked up in a deal or in the waning years near retirement. You gotta draft a guy and turn him into a star/first option. This new era of team construction might be piling up a bunch of 2nd and 3rd option-borderline stars and making a go out of it.

That's where my "build around Zu" comment comes from. We're supposedly treading water until 2026 where we get open cap space and another max slot opens up, but if its not Giannis who are we giving a max to? Can't pay a "Bradley Beal-Paul George" type so-called star $50 million plus a season that doesn't move the needle and is injured all the time. Those days have to be over with. Nobody is coming to save us once we get more cap space available. Build around Zu and Norm and then that opens the door for a star to emerge at the guard, wing, and power forward positions. If if were to come down to that. I'm still hoping for the best with the team we have now.

I guess maybe the better way to describe it is to build with Zu and Norm, not necessarily around which generally means acquiring complementary pieces around your superstar(s).

I don't know the exact cap space situation in 2026, but if we are to attract any big name FA's we'll need to have some sort of decent NBA players still around for them to play with, and Zu definitely qualifies as one of those guys. Norm is going to be interesting, even if he has another good year he's only going to be 33 after next season. So for continuity and to keep a local fan favorite, maybe there's a reasonable contract to be made.

I wish James had 2 years left and Kawhi just 1, rather than vice versa. I'd be more optimistic about the team we could maybe put together for 2026/27. At least it's not 3 years left like PG .

[BenchOnaQUEST]

Great improvement. Big Zu just became only the 11th player in LAC Franchise History with 800+ Rebounds in a single season!

[Captain Ballmer]

Zu at his peak.

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[Captain Ballmer]

Zu at his peak.

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Birthday boy with 28pts 20 reb against Mobley and Allen. Whooop them. All-NBA def. stuff

[Clemenza]

IN ZU WE TRUST!!

[Clemenza]

Somebody is slowly turning into a star player. He's never got recognition like this until now.

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