At the end of the 2016-17 NBA season, then-rookie big man Ivica Zubac looked like he was set for a much larger role in the Los Angeles Lakers, but head coach Luke Walton had other plans when the 2017-18 campaign began.
Before the NBA All-Star break, Zubac had played just 93 minutes over 18 games in his sophomore season. Since the Lakers made several trades right before the break, Zubac has seen his minutes increase exponentially.
According to Walton, Zubac’s increased playing time has been more than the result of the Lakers making a few moves prior to the trade deadline.