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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. The Indiana Pacers barely got a glimpse of what Ivica Zubac could bring last season.
After making a February trade with the Clippers to add the veteran center, Indiana had to watch him go down after just five games because of a rib fracture. It was a frustrating ending, especially for a team that believed Zubac could fill an important role.
Now, he gets another chance, as the x-factor this season.
Indiana has plenty of players who can create offense and push the pace, but every contender eventually runs into the same problem: what happens when the game slows down?
That's where Zubac can help. The 7-foot center gives the Pacers a physical presence they haven't always had. He can battle for rebounds, finish around the basket and give the team a more traditional option in the frontcourt.
Those things become even more important in the playoffs. Zubac isn't coming to Indiana to put up 25 shots a night. That's not his game. His job is to make the Pacers tougher, especially against teams with bigger front lines.
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And after missing most of his first opportunity with the team, he'll be looking to prove why Indiana made the move in the first place. It really shouldn't take him long to do that, too.
The Pacers also added Braden Smith in the second round, bringing the Purdue standout back to his home state. Smith isn't the biggest guard at 5-foot-10 and 167 pounds, but he made his mark in college by becoming the NCAA's all-time assists leader.
He’s the type of player who competes every possession, which should make for an entertaining battle with T.J. McConnell during training camp.
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Still, the biggest question around Indiana isn't about a rookie guard. It's about Zubac staying healthy.
The Pacers already know they have players who can score and create. What they need is someone who can give them more toughness inside and help them handle the physical side of the postseason.
If Zubac can stay on the floor, he could end up being the missing piece that helps Indiana take the next step.
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