The Los Angeles Clippers have named their new starting center after trading away Ivica Zubac last season.
According to Clippers head coach Ty Lue, the team will now start Isaiah Jackson at center for the 2026-2027 NBA season.
As for confirming the rest of his starting lineup, he “can’t remember.”
Jackson earned the promotion with a strong training camp and solid preseason play.
Veteran center and former NBA champion Brook Lopez will slide into the primary backup role to anchor the second unit, while Jackson provides high-energy rim protection, mobility, and finishing alongside the starting unit.
Jackson landed with the Clippers via a blockbuster trade deadline deal on February when the Indiana Pacers packaged him alongside Bennedict Mathurin and three draft picks (a protected 2026 first-round pick, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick) in exchange for Ivica Zubac and young forward Kobe Brown.
Jackson was initially viewed by some as an athletic depth piece behind Lopez but an injury to rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser quickly thrust him into a regular backup role, where he excelled by averaging 7.5 points and 4.6 rebounds across 17 regular-season games in LA.
Notably, Jackson did not start a single game last season with the Clippers.
Isaiah Jackson Thinks He Will Be A Starter Since Training Camp
Isaiah Jackson has been confident he would earn a starting spot since during training camp.
Talking to reporter Ohm Youngmisuk, Jackson said that he believed he would earn a starting position by the regular season.
“I think I’m going to be in the starting role,” Jackson said.
Isaiah Jackson Is A Former Lakers Draft Pick
Jackson was selected 22nd overall by the Los Angeles Lakers before being immediately traded to the Indiana Pacers.
During his rookie and sophomore seasons, he missed stretches due to recurring knee hyperextensions, right ankle sprains, and concussions. The most devastating blow came on November 1, 2024, when Jackson suffered a torn right Achilles tendon during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The non-contact injury required surgery and forced him to miss the remainder of the 2024-2025 NBA season. That means Jackson completely missed out on the Pacers’ NBA Finals run in 2025, where they lost to the OKC Thunder in seven games.
Jackson returned for the 2025-2026 season, adapting his game after bulking up to aid his post-injury physical demands.
Since being traded to the Clippers, Jackson’s interior offense was highly accurate, as he converted 55 of his 72 field goal attempts.
Aside from Jackson, point guard Darius Garland, acquired via trade last February, is set to orchestrate a revamped offense alongside newly acquired wing Brandon Ingram.
However, with Ingram managing an injury that threatens his availability for the season opener, the team’s immediate offensive identity will rely on makeshift combinations, floor-spacing from Max Strus, and scoring contributions from Rui Hachimura.
According to the Clippers, the internal focus remains competitive, aiming to maximize the synergy of their new backcourt engine while prioritizing the high-upside development of rookie guard Keaton Wagler, the No. 5 overall draft pick.
Last season, the Clippers missed out on a playoff spot after losing in the play-in tournament.
The Clippers open the 2026-2027 NBA regular season against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 7:30 PM PT at the Intuit Dome.
Clippers Reveal Ex-Lakers Pick Is New Starting Center