Clippers Reportedly Won't Deal Ivica Zubac in Potential Kevin Durant Trade with Suns

If the Los Angeles Clippers find themselves in the running to land Kevin Durant, one of the players they don't plan to dangle in return is their starting center.

According to NBA reporter Jake Fischer, "We've been consistently told L.A. has no desire to part with Ivica Zubac... as much as Phoenix surely covets the consistently improving center. The Clippers, however, do hold two future first-round picks and some available swap rights to sweeten a potential Durant offer that would almost certainly require the inclusion of Norman Powell, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Derrick Jones Jr."

Durant's "preferred trade destinations"—where he would consider signing a long-term extension—are the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, so whether or not the Clippers would be willing to part ways with Zubac in a potential deal might be a moot point.

Charania did add that the Suns have "made clear to the six to eight seriously interested teams that they will make the best deal for the franchise, even if it means trading Durant to a team outside his preferred list, sources said."

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype noted that the Clippers "have also lurked with interest in Durant" and that the Suns have done "background work" on Powell and would also "assuredly try to pry" Zubac away from the Clippers in a potential deal, though Scotto added that the Clippers "highly value Zubac and would be reluctant to part with him."

The 28-year-old remains one of the better two-way centers in the sport after averaging career highs in points (16.8 PPG), rebounds (12.6 RPG) and assists (2.7) this past season, shooting 62.8 percent from the field while blocking 1.1 shots per game. He was also durable, appearing in 80 contests.

A Clippers' core of Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Durant and Zubac would be potentially formidable, assuming they could stay healthy over the course of the season. Even with Leonard only playing 37 games in 2024-25 the Clippers still managed to win 50 contests, largely down to career years from Zubac (an All-Defensive team selection) and Powell (21.8 PPG across 60 games).

Adding Durant would give the Clippers another elite scoring option. But adding him if the cost includes parting ways with Zubac seems unlikely.