Both teams are facing hard truths. The Pacers MUST find their new Center for Haliburton's return to be a contender asap, and the Clippers MUST accept that they're better off beginning a rebuild asap for the post-Harden and Kawhi era.

The price for Zubac is and should be high. Incredibly underrated and efficient, both on the court and on the payroll. For Zubac, he gets to join a team that is ready to go beginning next year as a contender and avoids wasting more years of his prime in a Clippers organization without resources if they don't move him.

The highlight for the Clippers is they are not only able to acquire a couple 1sts, but a dynamic guard they can begin to build around in Mathurin, who's best basketball is ahead of him. Mathurin wants to be THE GUY for an organization, thrives in iso, and should be on a reasonable second contract with restricted free agency. Questions are, will they come to the realization of needing to rebuild and is this enough to win Zubac's trade market?

The Pacers walk away as instant Eastern contenders with a lineup of Zubac, Siakam, potential SF lottery pick (One of Dybantsa, Wilson, or Ament), Nembhard, and Haliburton rounding out the starters. A league-leading second unit of Huff, Toppin, Nesmith, Sheppard, and McConnell.