NBA Draft Lottery Nightmare for Pacers as Top-Five Pick Heads to Clippers

Indiana’s gamble to acquire Ivica Zubac comes at a cost as the Pacers fall out of the top four and officially send their 2026 first-round pick to the Clippers.

Jan 30, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard speaks during an Indiana Pacers press conference to announce the contract extension of center Miles Turner at Gainsbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers finished the worst season in franchise history with a 52.1% chance of retaining their 2026 first-round pick after trading part of it to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Croatian center Ivica Zubac.

There was significant risk involved in making the Zubac deal, and this time around, that gamble did not pay off. The Pacers officially fell out of the top four during the NBA Draft Lottery, meaning their 2026 first-round pick will now convey to Los Angeles.

With the Clippers acquiring Indiana’s 2026 first-round selection, the Pacers will no longer owe Los Angeles their unprotected 2031 first-round pick. As a result, the only outgoing future first-round pick Indiana has traded is its 2029 first-round selection.

That development gives the Pacers significantly more flexibility moving forward when it comes to trading future draft assets to strengthen the roster around their current core.

Mar 15, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac (40) looks for a shot against Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner (3) in the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

By acquiring Zubac, Indiana addressed one of the biggest holes on the roster after Myles Turner departed in free agency for the Milwaukee Bucks. Unfortunately, Zubac spent much of his time with Indiana sidelined by injuries.

He initially dealt with an ankle injury suffered during his time with the Clippers that required additional recovery, and then just five games after returning, he suffered a broken rib against the Portland Trail Blazers, ending his season prematurely.

Still, the long-term outlook remains encouraging. A healthy Zubac paired with Tyrese Haliburton, who is expected to return from a 16-month absence following an Achilles injury, gives Indiana a strong starting lineup capable of competing with the top teams in the Eastern Conference next season.

What's Next?

Jun 11, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) celebrates with his bench during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game three of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Without a top-four selection in the 2026 NBA Draft, Indiana’s focus now shifts toward strengthening the bench through trades or free agency. With Bennedict Mathurin included in the Zubac trade, the Pacers are missing a true microwave scorer capable of consistently providing 15-to-20 points off the bench. Finding that type of offensive sparkplug will be critical if Indiana hopes to return to the NBA Finals.

Kevin Pritchard, Chad Buchanan, and Ted Wu understood the risk when they included the 2026 first-round pick in the Zubac trade package, but their priority was fixing the center position. They accomplished that goal with Zubac, but the organization must now pivot from potentially adding a franchise cornerstone through the draft to improving the roster through veteran additions and internal development.

Final Thoughts

The results of the NBA Draft Lottery may not drastically hurt Indiana in the short term, especially if the current core stays healthy, but losing the opportunity to add a top-four talent could have long-term ramifications for the future of the franchise. Even so, falling outside the top four would have been disappointing regardless of whether the Pacers retained the pick or sent it to Los Angeles.

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