The Indiana Pacers acquired Ivica Zubac at the 2026 trade deadline in a deal that sent multiple first-round picks to the Clippers, including one that became the No. 5 selection in the 2026 draft. That move filled the starting center void left after Myles Turner departed in free agency following the team's 2025 Finals appearance. Now the focus shifts to free agency for a reliable backup who can handle meaningful minutes behind Zubac without exposing the roster in a playoff series.

Zubac enters the summer on the final two years of his deal, set to earn $21.7 million in 2027-28. He posted 14.1 points and 10.6 rebounds per game while anchoring the defense after the trade. Jay Huff flashed shot-blocking ability but ranked poorly in switch-heavy coverage and finished with inconsistent offensive impact across limited opportunities. Micah Potter shot efficiently from deep last season yet posted defensive metrics that placed him among the league's worst bigs in space, limiting his viability for a contending rotation.

Robert Williams III stands out as the clearest fit among available targets. At 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan, the 28-year-old Portland center excels as a rim protector who can also switch onto perimeter players. His quick leaping ability turns lobs into high-percentage finishes in the dunker spot, and his length disrupts passing lanes in drop coverage. The Pacers' switch-heavy scheme under Rick Carlisle would maximize those traits far better than Huff's thin frame or Potter's lack of lateral quickness.

This pursuit fits the front office's pattern of prioritizing championship contention around Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. After sacrificing future assets for Zubac rather than waiting and potentially losing core pieces in a larger deal, adding a low-cost veteran backup avoids repeating the same rotation gamble that undermined prior playoff runs. Rivals like the Thunder and Knicks have already locked in their own depth options, leaving the Pacers to move quickly before comparable bigs sign elsewhere.

Free agency opens in early July with the Pacers holding mid-level exception money and minimum deals to pursue Williams, Jusuf Nurkic and similar targets. A signing by mid-month would allow Carlisle to integrate the new addition during summer workouts and preseason, setting the rotation before training camp. Failure to land one of those names would force reliance on internal options that have already shown their limits.

The real test comes in the playoffs, where a single mismatched backup center can tilt a series against elite frontcourts. Securing that insurance now determines whether the Zubac investment pays off or simply delays the next roster hole.