Ivica Zubac knows he’s stepping into something different in Indiana, and that’s part of what has him looking forward to this season.
The veteran center, a second-round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, has spent his NBA career carving out a steady role in the paint. He’s done it with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers, two stops that came with the pressure of big-city basketball and the expectation to deliver every night. Now, Zubac is with the Indiana Pacers for the foreseeable future, and the fit brings a completely different challenge.
Indiana doesn’t play like the teams Zubac has known before. The Pacers lean into pace, spreading the floor and running with a collection of players who are constantly moving up and down the court.
For a center trying to adjust his game, that’s a major shift. Zubac is ready for it.
What has him most intrigued, though, is the chance to play with Tyrese Haliburton. The Pacers guard is returning from the torn Achilles he suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, and he’s healthy and ready to go. For Zubac, that means teaming up with a point guard who does things differently from the ones he’s played alongside in the past.
Haliburton’s game is built around instant tempo. He wants to push the ball the moment he gets it, turning defense into offense before the other team can settle in. That’s the kind of attack Zubac says he’s excited to be part of this season.
He’s been around guards who prefer to control the possession and bring the ball up themselves, but Haliburton’s style is all about speed and quick decisions. That approach has helped make Indiana one of the NBA’s most distinctive teams, and it’s also why the Pacers have been at their best when they play fast.
Zubac brings a different look to the frontcourt than Indiana has been used to. He’s a stronger rebounder than the Pacers have had in recent years, which could open up more chances for the offense if Haliburton is healthy and operating at full speed. That combination gives Indiana a chance to be even more dangerous.
There’s still the matter of chemistry, and that may take some time with Haliburton having been out for so long. But the Pacers are entering the season with a clear objective. They want another shot at the NBA title, and they believe this group is built to chase it.
In Other News...
Zubac Just Gave Pacers Fans An Encouraging Read On Team Chemistry
Ivica Zubac did not spend long in Indiana after arriving from the Los Angeles Clippers at last seasons trade deadline, but the early read he offered on the Pacers still stood out. At Media Day, Zubac praised the rosters camaraderie and compared the groups feel to the Croatian National Team, a notable compliment for a team leaning into continuity and chemistry as it tries to build on last seasons momentum.
For Pacers fans, the encouraging part is not just the tone of Zubacs comments, but the role that may come with them. He is expected to have a much larger presence this season alongside Tyrese Haliburton as Indianas center, which makes his comfort level with the locker room more than a feel-good note. If the fit clicks the way Zubac suggested, it could matter quickly for a team looking to turn chemistry into results. [Read more 🡒]
Rick Carlisle Sends A Clear Message About Tyrese Haliburtons Return
Tyrese Haliburton is expected back on the floor for the Pacers this season after missing the previous year with a torn Achilles, and the early messaging from Rick Carlisle has been pretty clear about how Indiana plans to handle it. The coach is not framing Haliburton as some isolated fix for everything that went wrong last season, but as one piece of a broader system the Pacers want to lean on as they try to move forward.
That approach also suggests Indiana will be cautious at first, with Haliburtons minutes potentially limited early as the team manages his health and reintegration. For a Pacers group coming off a rough season, the return of its point guard matters a lot, but Carlisles stance hints the organization is thinking bigger than one comeback and more about building something sustainable around him. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Built An Expensive Starting Five With Something To Prove
The Pacers have quietly assembled a starting five that looks built to win now, and it comes with a price tag and a paper trail. Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac are lined up to form the group in 2026-27, a blend of homegrown guard play, wing toughness and veteran size that gives Indiana a very clear identity before the season even tips off.
Getting there required some commitment. Zubac arrived at the 2024-25 trade deadline in a move that cost Indiana a protected first-round pick, and the deal sent that selection to the Clippers after the protections were no longer in play. Haliburton is already locked in on a five-year extension signed in 2023, Siakam remains a four-time All-Star expected to anchor the core, and the message from the Pacers is unmistakable: they are paying for a lineup they believe can deliver, and they want the results to match. [Read more 🡒]