“We needed ‘fresh blood,’ we were old, and we played slowly” – Ivica Zubac’s statement aged badly as LAC is now the oldest team in the NBA originally appeared on Basketball Network.
If someone had told you five years ago that Chris Paul, James Harden, Bradley Beal, and Kawhi Leonard would be on the same team, you’d probably think it was impossible. Back then, Paul, Harden, and Leonard were all in the top 10 in the MVP ranking, while Beal averaged 31.3 points per game.
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But a lot has changed in those five years. Now, Beal and CP3 have joined the Los Angeles Clippers in a last push to win their first-ever title. In addition, Ivica Zubac is coming off a phenomenal season, and the Clippers look strong on paper.
Zubac stated that a youth movement could benefit the team
However, they also just became the oldest team ever to start a regular season, with an average age of 33.2 years. Harden and Paul are both well past 35, and it’s hard to imagine them recapturing the explosiveness of their Houston Rockets days. Leonard is still dominant, but his chronic knee issues persist, while Beal’s stock has taken a serious hit in recent years.
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The irony? Just last summer, Zubac spoke out in an interview with Basketball Sphere after the departures of Paul George and Russell Westbrook, stating that a youth movement could benefit the team.
“They offered him (Paul George) a better contract,” Zubac said. “Obviously, that fourth year was very important to Paul George. That’s his decision. A couple of younger players were added to the team, which I think we’ve lacked in the last few years. We needed ‘fresh blood,’ we were old, and we played slowly, so I think this will help us. I believe we have a chance to be better than last year.”
It’s hard to imagine this team pushing the pace
Zubac, more of an old-school bruising center who plays with his back to the basket rather than as a mobile rim-runner, believed the team was moving toward a more modern, fast-paced style, despite losing two future Hall of Famers.
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But with the addition of Paul, who ideally fits as a pick-and-roll partner for Zubac, it’s hard to imagine this team pushing the pace. Neither Beal, Harden, nor Leonard are transition players as all three made their careers in half-court, deliberate basketball.
That said, head coach Tyronn Lue is known for managing veteran-heavy teams. Dwyane Wade spoke from experience about how Lue will manage the star-sudded Clippers squad next season.
“I think one thing with being coached under T-Lue for a few months in Cleveland — when he has a veteran group, he’s going to put a lot of onus on that group to police themselves,” Wade shared. “To know what they need. Like, we felt like we needed to watch more film. He’s like, ‘Oh, y’all want to watch more film? Okay then, let’s go watch more film. Y’all ain’t in the shape y’all need to be in? All right, we about to go run.'”
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Basketball brainpower on LAC roster
Lue is a master of adjustments. And with high-IQ players like Paul and Harden, along with Leonard’s elite efficiency and Zubac’s consistency in the paint, there’s no shortage of basketball brainpower on this roster.
Still, if Zubac truly prefers a faster tempo, he probably won’t get it this season — not with the oldest team in NBA history. But how do you count out a group made up of names that built decade-long legacies in this league?
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 29, 2025, where it first appeared.