Lakers assign Ivica Zubac to D-Fenders

The Los Angeles Lakers have assigned center Ivica Zubac to their D-League team, the Los Angeles D-Fenders, according to a team press release. The seven-footer the Lakers selected with the 32nd overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft is expected to suit up for the D-Fenders in their game against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Thursday night in El Segundo.

Zubac showed a ton of promise for the Lakers in NBA Summer League as well as the preseason, but has only appeared in three games for the Lakers during the regular season and is averaging nine minutes per game.

Zubac was inactive for the Lakers during their win against the Brooklyn Nets, and with the team in the middle of a four-game homestand and not playing again until Friday, the front office probably sees this as a good chance for Zubac to get some valuable minutes as he continues his development process. Stay tuned to Silver Screen and Roll for updates from Zubac's D-Fenders debut.

Harrison Faigen is co-host of the Locked on Lakers podcast (subscribe here), and you can follow him on Twitter at @hmfaigen.