Lakers News: Ivica Zubac Could Earn Consistent Role In Luke Walton’s Rotation

Trevor Lane
3 Min Read
Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

The 2016-2017 NBA season has been a difficult one for the Los Angeles Lakers, who have fallen into dire straits after an encouraging opening month. However, with a focus on player development, we have seen second overall pick Brandon Ingram granted the second-most minutes on the team, and it appears that head coach Luke Walton is now ready to give more playing time to the Lakers’ other 2016 draft pick.

Ivica Zubac has spent much of the season toiling away in the D-League, working on his game and waiting for an opportunity to prove his worth against the big boys. It appears that the time is now, as Zubac has received minutes in seven consecutive games, including a 26-minute outing against the Denver Nuggets and 28 minutes against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Walton has been pleased with Zubac’s play, and spoke after the team’s loss to the Blazers about the possibility of him earning a permanent spot (via Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters and Spectrum SportsNet):

Against the Blazers, Zubac recorded his second career double-double and flashed both the soft touch and rim protection that has the Lakers so optimistic about his future potential. He still has a long way to go, but at just 19 years old Zubac has time on his side. His minutes have bounced around quite a bit even in the games where he is part of the rotation, but he asserts that he will be ready to play regardless:

Despite another difficult season, there have been some silver linings for the Lakers, and the development of Zubac has certainly been one of them. If he can continue to grow, the Lakers have another outstanding foundational piece on their roster.

Trevor Lane is a longtime NBA and Los Angeles Lakers fan who had the good fortune to grow up during the glory days of the Showtime Lakers, when Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the rest ruled the Great Western Forum. He has written about basketball, soccer, fantasy sports, MMA, and even pro wrestling over the course of his career, but the spectacle that is the Lakers is his true passion. He made the leap into podcasting for Lakers Nation and provides voice-over analysis for our YouTube channel. With a who's who of stars gracing the Lakers lineup over the years, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, and many others, the Lakers always provide plenty to talk about. When he isn't writing or recording, Trevor can be found spending time with his wife and daughter or on the sidelines for one of the youth teams he coaches. Outside of the Lakers, Trevor is a supporter of the LA Galaxy, US Soccer, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Contact: trevor@mediumlargela.com
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