Pacers exec issues apology after NBA draft lottery 'risk' backfires

Key Points:

• The Indiana Pacers, despite finishing with the second-worst record in the 2025-26 NBA season, ended up with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft lottery, missing out on a top-four selection due to a prior trade with the Los Angeles Clippers for Ivica Zubac.
• The Pacers had traded the pick to the Clippers with top-four protection, resulting in the pick staying with the Clippers when it landed at No. 5, frustrating fans who believed the team tanked for a high draft pick.
• Team president Kevin Pritchard publicly apologized on social media, acknowledging the risk taken in the trade and emphasizing the need for a starting center to help the team compete next season.
• Fans expressed strong disappointment on social media, criticizing the trade of a valuable future pick for Zubac, who is not considered a top-five center in the NBA, and lamenting the loss of key players Myles Turner and Benedict Mathurin.
• Despite the setback, there is optimism for the Pacers’ future as star Tyrese Haliburton is expected to return from injury, potentially improving the team’s performance in the upcoming season.