Full Breakdown
Indiana Pacers Lose 2026 First-Round Pick After Lottery Gamble
5/11/2026, 4:54:27 AM
Pacers Lose 2026 First-Round Pick in Lottery
On May 10, 2026 the Indiana Pacers fell to the No. 5 slot in the NBA Draft Lottery. Because the team had traded its 2026 first-rounder to the Los Angeles Clippers with top-four protection, the pick automatically transferred to Los Angeles. The loss left Indiana without a first-round selection despite a 19-63 record that gave it a 52.1 % chance of staying inside the protected range.
Background: Trade for Ivica Zubac and Center Need
After losing longtime defensive anchor Myles Turner in free agency and seeing star guard Tyrese Haliburton miss the entire 2025-26 season with a torn Achilles, the Pacers sought an immediate interior solution. On Feb. 5, 2026 they dealt Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick and the 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected) to the Clippers for center Ivica Zubac and forward Kobe Brown. Zubac, a 29-year-old All-Defense selection in 2025, was projected to fill the void at center for a contract of roughly $42 million over two seasons.
Data & Statistics
- Season record: 19-63 (second-worst in the league).
- Lottery odds: 52.1 % chance of a top-four pick; 14 % chance of the No. 1 pick.
- Protection clause: most sources state “top-four protected”; one source adds protection for picks 10-30 as well.
- Trade assets received by Clippers: Zubac, Brown, plus Mathurin, Jackson, the 2026 pick (if 5-9) and an unprotected 2029 first-rounder.
- Projected impact: Zubac averaged 14.1 points and 10.6 rebounds last season.
Official Statements & Responses
Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard posted on X: he “owns taking this risk” and apologized to fans, emphasizing that the team “deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year.” Head coach Rick Carlisle later said the organization has a “contingency plan to build the team up” if the lottery does not deliver a top-four pick.
Criticism & Opposition
Fans on X expressed anger that the trade sacrificed a potential franchise-changing pick for a center they did not view as elite. One commenter wrote, “You lose Myles Turner and add Zubac…for a center who isn’t even a top-5 center in the NBA.” Others described the move as “trading away a top-5 pick in the middle of a tanking season” and called the gamble “a huge mistake.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact protection language: most cite only top-four protection, while ESPN’s report adds protection for picks 10-30. Contract figures for Zubac also vary—CBS Sports notes a $42 million two-year total, whereas ESPN lists $20.3 million for 2026-27 and $21.7 million for 2027-28. No source provides a definitive breakdown of the Clippers’ long-term draft compensation beyond the 2029 pick.
Timeline
- Feb. 5, 2026 – Pacers acquire Zubac and Brown; trade includes protected 2026 pick.
- May 10, 2026 – NBA Draft Lottery places Pacers at No. 5; pick transfers to Clippers.
- June 23, 2026 – 2026 NBA Draft begins in Brooklyn.
Why It Matters
The loss eliminates Indiana’s chance to add a high-upside prospect from a deep draft class that includes AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Caleb Wilson and Cam Boozer. While Zubac addresses an immediate roster need, the gamble highlights the tension between short-term competitiveness and long-term asset management for a small-market franchise. For the Clippers, the No. 5 selection offers a potential future star and underscores the value of acquiring protected picks.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I'm really sorry to all our fans. I own taking this risk. Surprised it came up fifth after this year. I thought we were due some luck. But please remember – this team deserved a starting centre to compete with the best teams next year. We have always been resilient,” — Kevin Pritchard, President of Basketball Operations, Indiana Pacers
- “You lose Myles Turner and add Zubac. You lose [Benedict] Mathurin and the number 5 pick with absolutely nothing in return. This is why fans are upset, for a center who not even a top 5 center in the NBA. Who trades their future away for Ivan Zubac???” — Anonymous fan, X
- “If it doesn't happen, there's a contingency plan to build the team up, too,” — Rick Carlisle, Head Coach, Indiana Pacers
- “If I were 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,” — Anonymous fan, X
What’s Next
Tyrese Haliburton is slated to return for the 2026-27 season, and the Pacers will enter the offseason without a 2026 first-round pick but with Zubac under contract. The upcoming draft on June 23 will determine whether the Clippers capitalize on the acquired pick, while Indiana must decide how to leverage its remaining assets to remain a championship contender.
