The Indiana Pacers have sky-high expectations with the return of star point guard Tyrese Haliburton for the 2026 season, but they'll have to wait a while before having their starting lineup at full strength.
Center Ivica Zubac sprained his left ankle when he stepped on teammate Kelly Oubre Jr.'s foot in the first quarter of the Pacers' Oct. 25 game against the Brooklyn Nets.
Initially, "a lot of swelling immediately," per head coach Rick Carlisle didn't sound good, but x-rays confirmed there was no fracture, and Zubac felt much better Monday.
"Zubac is doing better," Carlisle said. "He walked into the arena with no boot." It's a good sign that the 7-footer doesn't seem to have a serious sprain, but Indiana will be cautious with him after the same injury held him out for a while last season.
The Pacers traded Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and two first-round picks (one of which turned into the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 draft) for Zubac at the trade deadline last year, but he's only been on the court eight times for his new team.
In those eight games, Zu has averaged 10.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game. In his place, backup center Jay Huff will start for the Pacers.
When could Zubac return?
The big-man is currently without a timetable for a return, and the Pacers medical staff will evaluate him on a daily basis until they figure out a recovery time. Zubac missed a few weeks with the injury last season - the first time he had ever been sidelined for an extended period of time.
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