A person attends the NBA basketball draft lottery in Chicago, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
CHICAGO – The Indiana Pacers had their worst-case scenario happen at the NBA Draft Lottery last weekend. Despite holding better than 50-50 odds to keep a first-round pick inside the top four selections, the Pacers sent the fifth overall pick to the Los Angeles Clippers as a part of the trade that netted Indiana Ivica Zubac back in February.
Five is the best selection the Pacers could have sent the Clippers this year – Indiana would have loved to hold on to their pick. “Disappointed because this is a great draft,” Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said about 15 minutes after the draft order was revealed. He’s happy to have Zubac but felt the missed opportunity. “We wanted to pick, but we'll be okay.”
The Pacers ideal outcome for the offseason certainly involved picking inside the top four. They now have other paths available to them, though, and that is largely due to their salary cap reality.
What can the Pacers do now?
