Indiana Pacers Lose 2026 First-Round Pick to Clippers After Fifth Overall Selection

The Indiana Pacers have lost their 2026 first-round NBA draft pick to the Los Angeles Clippers, marking a significant setback for a franchise already grappling with a dismal season and a high-stakes gamble on roster construction. The team’s pick, which landed at No. 5 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, was forfeited to the Clippers as a result of a mid-season trade that brought center Ivica Zubac to Indiana.

The Pacers entered the lottery with a 53.1% chance of securing a top-four pick, which would have allowed them to retain the selection. However, their pick fell just outside that threshold, landing in fifth place. According to the terms of the deal struck in February 2026, if the Pacers’ pick landed outside the top four, it would be conveyed to the Clippers. That is exactly what happened, leaving Indiana without a first-round selection and handing the fifth pick to Los Angeles.

The trade that led to this outcome saw the Pacers acquire Zubac, a top-tier center ranked fifth in the NBA in rebounds per game, in exchange for guards Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson, as well as several draft picks, including the one now lost to the Clippers. Zubac’s arrival was intended to fill the void left by the departure of Myles Turner and provide a foundation for Indiana’s future.

In the aftermath of the lottery result, Pacers president Kevin Pritchard publicly apologized to fans, acknowledging the risk taken in the trade and the disappointment of losing the draft pick. The team’s 19–63 record this season—without star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who missed the entire campaign due to a torn Achilles—had given Indiana the second-best odds to land a top-four selection. The loss of the pick is a blow to the Pacers’ long-term rebuilding plans, especially as they look to bolster their roster for Haliburton’s return in the 2026–27 season.

The Clippers, meanwhile, now hold the fifth overall pick, a selection that could prove pivotal as they continue to rebuild their roster. The move underscores the high-stakes nature of NBA draft lottery outcomes and the potential consequences of mid-season trades designed to address immediate roster needs.

The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery also crowned the Washington Wizards as the new No. 1 overall pick, setting the stage for a summer of high-profile rookie signings across the league.