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The Indiana Pacers’ risky move backfired after the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery saw them lose their top pick outright in a disastrous turn Sunday afternoon.
Heading into the lottery, the Pacers, who went 19-63 just one season after making the NBA Finals out of the Eastern Conference, had a 52.1% chance of getting a top-4 pick.
But when they didn’t see their team selected in the first four picks — Indiana also had a 14% chance to get the No. 1 overall pick — it was time to panic.
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Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard speaks during a news conference to announce center Miles Turner’s contract extension at Gainsbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on Jan. 30, 2023. (Marc Lebryk/USA TODAY Sports)
The reason? The Pacers included their first-round pick in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers for Ivica Zubac, but they only made it a top-4 protected pick. That means if the Pacers were picked in the lottery as a top-4 selection, they would be able to keep it.
But the Pacers were picked No. 5, and the Clippers now own the pick in next month’s draft.
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As a result, Pacers team president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard took full responsibility for the move and apologized on social media.
“I’m really sorry to all our fans,” he wrote on X. “I own taking this risk myself. Surprised it got 5th after this year. I thought we’d have some luck. But please remember – this team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year. We’ve always been solid.”
Signage is displayed during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois on May 10, 2026. (Melissa Tamez/NBAE/Getty Images)
The Pacers were considered a team that was actively tanking despite the NBA’s attempts to clamp down on such a season, with the lottery being one way to do it. And it clearly worked this time.
Pritchard tried to be transparent and honest with the Pacers fan base, but people were quick to jump in the comments to make their thoughts and gripes known.
“You lose Myles Turner and add Zubac,” began one X user. “You lose [Benedict] Mathurin and number 5 choose with absolutely nothing in return. This is why fans are upset, for a center that isn’t even a top 5 center in the NBA. Who trade their future away with Ivan [sic] Zubac???”
Another X-user called this a “generational draft” and couldn’t believe the Pacers wouldn’t pick from a deep class.
“If I was a Pacers fan and my team traded away a top 5 pick for Ivica Zubac in the middle of a tanking season I would be beyond devastated,” another X user wrote.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton shoots around the court before an NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Indianapolis on April 7, 2026. (Doug McSchooler/AP)
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The Pacers were without All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton for the entire season after he suffered an Achilles injury during the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. But Indiana still has key members of that team returning next season, including Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith.
However, this 2026 draft class is quite the spectacle, and many believe it’s deep considering the talent of BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, UNC’s Caleb Wilson and Duke’s Cam Boozer, among others.
