What Indiana Pacers' roster path looks like after losing their 2026 pick

The fallout from the 2026 lottery leaves the Indiana Pacers in a more constrained position than a single missed selection suggests. Because the franchise traded both its 2026 and 2029 first-rounders in the deal that brought Ivica Zubac to Indianapolis, Evan Sidery reported on X that Indiana cannot move an unprotected first-round pick until 2031.

The full picks they can legally move this summer are the 2031 and 2033 selections. That structure, combined with the lottery outcome, makes their options narrow. A win-now trade in the coming months is now widely expected to be the front office's primary direction.

Teams considering a trade with Indiana this offseason will quickly notice that the Pacers have almost nothing in the short-to-medium range to offer in terms of draft compensation.

Indiana's win-now pivot depends on Haliburton returning healthy and ready next season

Assuming they remain healthy and capable of competing, the Pacers' core is solid. Tyrese Haliburton, the guard who averaged 18.6 points and 9.2 assists per game before tearing his Achilles in last year's Finals, is expected to return to full action next season.

Pascal Siakam remains on the roster. Zubac, healthy after a lost 2025-26 season, projects as a starter. Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, TJ McConnell, and Obi Toppin give Indiana useful rotation pieces.

The problem is that the bench does not have a reliable scorer in the 15-to-20-point range, a gap the Pacers had identified even before Sunday's lottery.

Finding a replacement for Bennedict Mathurin, who was traded to the Clippers as part of the Zubac deal, will be among the front office's first priorities this summer.

Kevin Pritchard, Indiana's team president, acknowledged on X Sunday night:

"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. But please remember -- this team deserves a starting center to compete with the best teams next year. We have always been resilient."

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. But please remember - this team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year. We have always been resilient.

The Pacers bet on getting a center now and a top pick in the same cycle. They got the center, mostly injured, and lost the pick at the worst possible time in one of the deepest draft classes in recent memory.

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