The NBA draft lottery will be held on Sunday, May 10, and the Indiana Pacers are one of the frontrunners this year. The team ended the season with a 19-63 record and finished dead last in the Eastern Conference. This has led to their improved chances of acquiring the top pick in the 2026 WNBA draft.
The Pacers have a 14% odds of getting the top pick in the upcoming draft. Notably, the franchise has never picked first in history and would look to grab one of the top picks in this year’s deep draft class. However, there is a twist!
If the Pacers receive a pick outside the top-4, #5, or #6, as they can’t pick later than sixth, they will have to swap that with the Los Angeles Clippers, as per the Ivica Zubac trade that happened during the midseason trade period. That means the Clippers have a 48% chance of getting the Pacers’ pick, which can completely change the draft.
If the Pacers hold on to their pick, falling in the 1-4 range, the Clippers will get the unprotected first-round picks in 2029 and 2031. If the Clippers get the 2026 pick, the Pacers will get back their 2031 pick. Pacers guard T.J. McConnell will be the representative of the franchise on the lottery day.
The Pacers can turn their fortunes with this year’s NBA draft pick
The upcoming NBA draft features some talented young names from college basketball. After Tyrese Haliburton returns to the roster, the franchise will look for some size in the frontcourt and good shooting wings.
Pascal Siakam has had a stellar season, averaging 24 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in Hali’s absence, while Jay Huff has performed brilliantly on the defense. Although he averaged 0.9 steals last season, it doesn’t do justice to what he brings on the floor. He averaged 1.9 blocks.
If a top-4 pick is added to the mix, it might unlock the roster at another level in the next season. Ivica Zubac will be an effective piece in the paint, along with Micah Potter. Someone like AJ Dybantsa or Caleb Wilson might be on the franchise’s mind, given their need to strengthen the frontcourt.
Even though the two youngsters don’t possess an elite 3-point percentage, Dybantsa shot 33.1% while Wilson made just 25% of his shots from deep, they are effective scorers who can get to their spots and get buckets. However, Wilson might bring more to the table, considering his showings on the defense.
Wilson averaged 1.4 blocks and 1.5 steals last season, and Dybantsa blocked 0.3 blocks per game and averaged 1.1 steals. This draft lottery can be a make-or-break for the Pacers franchise. Only time will tell how this pans out for them on the lottery day.
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