If you’re a Pacers fan who spent Sunday afternoon clutching a lucky rabbit’s foot and staring at a TV screen in disbelief, you aren’t alone. The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery was supposed to be the light at the end of a dark, injury-plagued tunnel. Instead, it felt like someone turned off the lights and locked the door from the outside.
When the No. 5 envelope was opened, and the Pacers logo appeared, a collective groan echoed from Gainbridge Fieldhouse to the suburbs of Carmel. Because of the midseason trade for Ivica Zubac, that pick—the fifth overall selection in a generational draft class—is headed to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Gamble: Why Indiana Pushed the Chips In
To understand why Pacers President Kevin Pritchard is currently issuing public apologies on social media, you have to look back at the February trade deadline. Indiana was in a weird spot. They were coming off a 2025 NBA Finals appearance that ended in heartbreak when Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles. With their superstar sidelined for the entire 2025-26 season and Myles Turner departing for Milwaukee in free agency, the team cratered.
The trade for Ivica Zubac was designed to be the “missing piece” for a 2027 comeback. Indiana sent Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and two first-round picks (including the 2026 selection) to the Clippers. The logic was sound: secure a second-team All-Defense caliber center to anchor the paint for Haliburton’s return. The catch? The 2026 pick was only protected if it landed in the top four.
The 52.1% Heartbreak
Entering the lottery with the league’s second-worst record (19-63), the Pacers had a 52.1% chance of keeping their pick. Statistically, the odds were in their favor. They just needed the ping-pong balls to stay steady. Instead, the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls all leapfrogged or held firm in the top four, pushing Indiana to the dreaded “first available” spot outside the protection range.
Losing the fifth pick in a draft featuring prospects like AJ Dybantsa or Cameron Boozer is a staggering blow. It’s the difference between adding a cost-controlled superstar to pair with Haliburton and having to rely entirely on a veteran roster that just finished near the bottom of the standings.
Is Zubac Worth the Price of Admission?
With that disappointment in mind, the next big question emerges.Now comes the uncomfortable part: evaluating the asset. Ivica Zubac is a double-double machine and a defensive wall. He averaged 14.4 points and 11.0 rebounds before a fractured rib ended his season in March. He is a legitimate starting center in a league where quality bigs are increasingly hard to find.
However, the “Vig”—as Pritchard called it—required to acquire him was massive. Giving up Mathurin, a blossoming young wing, and a top-five pick is the kind of overpay that can set a small-market franchise back years if things don’t go perfectly. The Pacers are now banking everything on a 2027 title run. If Haliburton returns at 100% and Zubac anchors a top-five defense, the No. 5 pick will be a distant memory. If they struggle? It will be remembered as one of the most lopsided trades in franchise history.
The Bottom Line: Resilience or Regret?
Now, as the dust settles, the Pacers and their fans are left reflecting on the trade’s consequences.Kevin Pritchard told reporters he “felt the pressure” to stabilize the roster for next year. While his transparency is refreshing, the reality is that the Clippers just walked away with the heist of the century. They traded a 29-year-old center for a potential franchise cornerstone at No. 5 and a high-ceiling young player in Mathurin.
The Pacers have always been a resilient bunch, but they just traded their safety net for a veteran anchor. As the 2026 Draft approaches, Pacers fans will have to watch the Clippers call a name that should have been theirs. Hopefully, for Indiana’s sake, Zubac plays well enough to make us all stop looking at the draft board.
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