The Indiana Pacers received some bittersweet news when the NBA stripped the LA Clippers of five future first-round picks from 2029 through 2033.
Why is that, you ask?
It’s simple: the Pacers were due to surrender their 2029 first-round pick (unprotected) to the Clippers as part of the Ivica Zubac trade. However, now that the pick has been voided, the Clippers are ineligible to use Indiana’s draft asset after three years.
Do the Pacers get the pick back? No. However, the Pacers can take solace in the fact that they won’t have to watch the Clippers make another first-round selection at their expense after the disastrous situation that unfolded earlier this year.
Indiana Pacers Should Feel Better
As was widely documented, the Clippers received the Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick because the ping-pong balls handed LA the fifth pick. Had the pick been in the top four, the Pacers would have retained it. The Clippers got lucky and selected Keaton Wagler.
Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard even apologized to the fanbase after the franchise was forced to surrender this year’s pick.
“I’m really sorry to all our fans,” he wrote on X.
“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.”
Again, the Pacers won’t recoup their 2029 pick, but avoiding a scenario where the Clippers make two selections at their expense offers a silver lining.
Indiana Pacers Hit With Good News After Clippers Penalized by NBA