The Golden State Warriors’ lack of size and rim protection has been glaringly apparent since the season’s opening tip. Even the addition of Al Horford hasn’t solved this fundamental flaw. In response, a daring trade proposal has surfaced: the Warriors should go “all-in” to acquire center Ivica Zubac from the LA Clippers—one of the NBA’s premier rim protectors.
The proposed framework from analyst Marc Delucchi comes at a steep cost:
Golden State Warriors receive: Ivica Zubac.
LA Clippers receive: Moses Moody, Buddy Hield, 2026 First-Round Pick, 2028 First-Round Pick, 2032 First-Round Pick.
This is a classic “future for present” proposition. The Warriors would surrender three valuable first-round picks and further thin their wing depth. However, Zubac, at 28, is entering his prime and could anchor their frontline for the next half-decade. He would single-handedly solve their rebounding and interior defense woes while allowing Draymond Green and Al Horford crucial rest during the regular season, preserving them for a playoff push.
Incorporating a traditional center like Zubac would force Coach Steve Kerr to adjust the team’s spacing, but it’s a necessary adaptation in a league increasingly favoring bigger lineups. Without such a move, the Warriors will continue to struggle against teams that deploy two quality big men.
While the likelihood of this specific trade is slim, it highlights a critical need and a potential path forward for the Warriors: they must find a way to acquire an elite rim-protecting center, whatever the cost. In the final championship window of the Stephen Curry era, mortgaging a distant future to address a fatal present-day weakness might be a gamble worth taking. Ivica Zubac could be the final piece that transforms the Warriors from a play-in hopeful back into a legitimate title contender.