Pacers' Carlisle: Zubac's ankle 'not quite right,' delaying team debut

Ivica Zubac's debut with the Indiana Pacers is on hold.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle says Zubac is on paternity leave and has been playing through an ankle injury since December.

"My understanding from talking to him is that there's still something there that's not quite right," Carlisle told reporters Friday, including ESPN's Jamal Collier. "We're not going to put him out there until he's really ready."

Indiana acquired Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers just before Thursday's NBA trade deadline. The 7-foot center missed his final scheduled game with the Clippers for the birth of his first child.

Zubac has been relatively healthy for most of his career, making no fewer than 68 appearances in each of the previous six campaigns. He's averaging 14.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists across 43 contests this season.

"He's a guy that has played 94% or 95% of his games through his career, and I'm presuming that's because he's always raring to go through things," Carlisle said. "That's not going to be an option here."

Zubac is under contract for two more seasons on a team-friendly deal. The 28-year-old gives the Pacers a long-term solution at the 5 following Myles Turner's departure last summer.

Indiana (13-39) sits dead last in the Eastern Conference entering play Saturday.

The team traded guard Bennedict Mathurin, center Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks, and a second-rounder for Zubac and guard Kobe Brown. One first-rounder is for the 2026 draft with protections for picks 1-4 and 10-30. If the pick fails to convey this summer, it will become an unprotected first-round selection in 2031.