As expected, the Los Angeles Lakers want rookie center Ivica Zubac to get more time on the basketball floor even if it isn’t on the NBA level.
According to Lakers.com, the team has sent Zubac down to the Los Angeles D-Fenders:
The Los Angeles Lakers have assigned center Ivica Zubac to the Los Angeles D-Fenders, it was announced today.
Zubac, who was selected 32nd pick in the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft, has played in three games for the Lakers this season. The rookie center filled in for the injured Timofey Mozgov in his first NBA start against Dwight Howard and the Atlanta Hawks on the team’s first road trip.
Since his debut, Zubac has appeared in two other games. The Croatian center played 48 seconds in the win over the Golden State Warriors and about seven and half minutes against Karl-Anthony Towns in the loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this week.
Although Zubac hasn’t spent much time on the floor for the Lakers, the team has high hopes for his future in Los Angeles. The 19-year-old has the potential to be a vital part of the team’s rebuilding process and may ultimately end up becoming the starting center in the years to come.
As for now, Zubac will prepare to prove his worth with the Lakers’ D-League affiliate. Zubac is expected to suit for the D-Fenders for the first time on Thursday when the team faces the Rio Grande Valley Vipers at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo.
Much like Jordan Clarkson and Tarik Black in years past, Zubac could spend a considerable amount of time with the D-Fenders to help improve his craft over the course of his rookie season.