The Los Angeles Clippers ended up trading away center Ivica Zubac for a major haul at the NBA Trade Deadline, starting a full-on rebuild.

The Clippers received back Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and two first-round picks in the deal: an unprotected 2029 selection and a 2026 first-round pick protected between No. 1 and No. 4, or No. 10 and No. 30.

If the Pacers do not convey in 2026, the Clippers get the Pacers’ first-rounder in 2031.

Mathurin and Jackson are both promising players with different ceilings, though they are still not key pieces for title contention. Mathurin has the potential to become an elite wing scorer and would benefit from learning under Kawhi Leonard.

On the other hand, Jackson is a rotational energy big man who can provide quality minutes from the bench — especially as a rebounder and pick-and-roll big.

What does the trade mean for the Clippers?

Zubac was arguably the second-best player for Los Angeles over the past two years, serving as a quality big man who offers size in the paint.

With his loss, the team is worse, but the upside is much higher, especially with Mathurin able to take a load off Leonard. More crucially, the Clippers get back draft capital, something that the team has lacked over the years as they pushed their chips in the middle for consistent title contention.

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