Report: Clippers send C Ivica Zubac to Pacers, land two first-round picks

The Los Angeles Clippers continued their activity leading up to the trade deadline, sending center Ivica Zubac and forward Kobe Brown to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, ESPN reported.

The Clippers are set to receive Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round draft picks and one second-round pick in the deal. Los Angeles' own first-round pick in the upcoming draft is owned by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

If Indiana's first-round pick this year's draft is outside of the 1-4 and 10-30 picks range, it converted to the Pacers' 2031 unprotected first-round pick, according to the report.

The 7-foot Zubac, who is in his 10th NBA season, has averaged 14.4 points with 11.0 rebounds in 43 games (42 starts) for Los Angeles this season. Brown, 26, has averaged 2.9 points in 34 games off the bench.

Mathurin, 23, is scoring 17.8 points with 5.4 rebounds in 28 games (24 starts) for the Pacers this season and 16.1 points with 4.6 rebounds in 237 games (109 starts) over four seasons with the team after he was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2022 draft.

Jackson, 24, is scoring 6.4 points with 5.6 rebounds in 38 games (14 starts) for Indiana.

The Clippers opened the season with a 6-21 record but turned it around while Zubac was out with an ankle injury. He has since returned following a five-game absence, with the Clippers now on a 17-6 run, although they have lost three of four.

It is the second trade of a Clippers starter in two days after the team officially sent guard James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday for guard Darius Garland.

Zubac, who did not play in Wednesday's game against the Cavaliers following the birth of his child, has averaged 10.5 points and 8.3 rebounds in 627 games (493 starts) with the Los Angeles Lakers (2016-19) and Clippers.