Pacers president apologizes to fans after team's 'risk' backfires in NBA Draft Lottery

The Indiana Pacers’ risky move backfired aft nan 2026 NBA Draft Lottery saw them suffer their apical prime altogether successful a disastrous move of events connected Sunday afternoon.

Heading into nan lottery, nan Pacers, who went 19-63 conscionable 1 play aft reaching nan NBA Finals retired of nan Eastern Conference, had a 52.1% chance of having a top-four pick.

However, erstwhile they didn’t spot their squad chosen successful nan first 4 picks – Indiana besides had a 14% chance of getting nan No. 1 wide prime – it was clip to panic.

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Indiana Pacers president of hoops operations Kevin Pritchard speaks during a property convention to denote halfway Miles Turner's statement hold astatine Gainsbridge Fieldhouse successful Indianapolis, Ind., connected Jan. 30, 2023. (Marc Lebryk/USA TODAY Sports)

The reason? The Pacers included their first-round prime successful a waste and acquisition pinch nan Los Angeles Clippers for Ivica Zubac, but they only made it a top-four protected pick. That means, if nan Pacers were chosen successful nan lottery arsenic a top-four selection, they would beryllium capable to support it.

But nan Pacers were chosen arsenic nan No. 5 pick, and nan Clippers now ain nan action successful adjacent month’s draft.

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As a result, Pacers squad president of hoops operations Kevin Pritchard took afloat work for nan move, apologizing connected societal media.

"I’m really sorry to each our fans," he wrote connected X. "I ain taking this risk. Surprised it came up 5th aft this year. I thought we were owed immoderate luck. But please retrieve – this squad deserved a starting halfway to compete pinch nan champion teams adjacent year. We person ever been resilient."

Signage is displayed during nan 2026 NBA Draft Lottery astatine Navy Pier successful Chicago, Illinois, connected May 10, 2026. (Melissa Tamez/NBAE/Getty Images)

The Pacers were viewed arsenic a squad that were actively tanking contempt nan NBA’s effort to ace down connected specified a season, pinch nan lottery being 1 measurement of that. And it intelligibly worked this clip around.

Pritchard was trying to beryllium transparent and honorable pinch nan Pacers instrumentality base, but group were speedy to jump successful nan comments to make their thoughts, and gripes, known.

"You suffer Myles Turner and adhd Zubac," 1 X personification began. "You suffer [Benedict] Mathurin and nan number 5 prime pinch perfectly thing successful return. This is why fans are upset, for a halfway who not moreover a apical 5 halfway successful nan NBA. Who trades their early distant for Ivan [sic] Zubac???"

Another X personification called this a "generational draft," and couldn’t fathom nan Pacers won’t beryllium picking from a heavy class.

"If I were a Pacers instrumentality and my squad traded distant a apical 5 prime for Ivica Zubac successful nan mediate of a tanking play I would beryllium beyond devastated," a chap X personification wrote.

Indiana Pacers defender Tyrese Haliburton shoots astir connected nan tribunal earlier an NBA crippled against nan Minnesota Timberwolves successful Indianapolis connected April 7, 2026. (Doug McSchooler/AP)

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The Pacers were without their All-Star constituent defender Tyrese Haliburton each play agelong aft he suffered an Achilles wounded during nan NBA Finals against nan Oklahoma City Thunder. But Indiana still has cardinal members of that squad returning adjacent season, including Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith.

However, this 2026 draught people is rather nan spectacle, pinch galore believing it to beryllium heavy considering nan talent of BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, UNC’s Caleb Wilson, and Duke’s Cam Boozer, among others.

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