Pacers president acknowledges risk after draft lottery trade sends pick to Clippers
The Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations has issued a public statement regarding the failure of a calculated strategy to acquire centre Ivica Zubac, which resulted in the team missing a top-four draft finish
Kevin Pritchard, president of basketball operations for the Indiana Pacers, has issued an apology to supporters following the conclusion of the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery. The statement addresses a high-stakes agreement reached in February that saw the team's first-round selection transferred to the Los Angeles Clippers should the franchise fail to secure a top-four finish.
The Pacers did not land a selection within the top four, meaning the No. 5 overall pick was awarded to the Clippers as stipulated in the original deal. Pritchard took to social media to express regret over the outcome, stating, "I'm really sorry to all our fans. I own taking this risk. Surprised it came up 5th after this year. I thought we were due some luck."
The trade structure involved the Pacers sending their 2026 pick to Los Angeles in exchange for centre Ivica Zubac, contingent on the team missing a top-four lottery finish. Zubac, a 29-year-old All-Defence selection from 2025, is projected to earn approximately $42 million over the next two seasons. The acquisition was intended to address a critical roster need for size to complement Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.
Had the Pacers secured a top-four pick, the agreement would have seen the Clippers receive a future first-round selection, projected as the 2031 pick, rather than the 2026 selection. The Washington Wizards secured the No. 1 overall pick in the draw, ending a seven-year drought for the franchise, while the Pacers finished outside the top four, triggering the transfer of their asset.
Pritchard defended the move as a calculated strategy to address a critical need for size in the modern NBA, viewing Zubac as a cost-effective upgrade over Myles Turner. The executive noted that the team had reached Game 7 of the Finals in 2025 and required a starting centre to compete with the best teams in the league next year.
While the gamble did not yield the desired draft capital, the organisation maintains that the strategic rationale remains sound. The focus remains on building a championship-calibre roster with the current core, with the acquisition of Zubac fulfilling the primary objective of the February trade.
