When the Indiana Pacers traded for Ivica Zubac on the week of the trade deadline, they took a massive risk by parting ways with precious draft capital. Among the assets that the Pacers gave away was a top-4 protected first round pick in this year’s draft.
As fate would have it, the Pacers’ draft pick fell to the fifth pick in the NBA draft lottery Sunday afternoon. With Indiana officially losing their draft pick to the Clippers, Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard felt compelled to issue an apology to the team’s supporters.
“I’m really sorry to all our fans. 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.”
Unfortunately for Pritchard, Lady Luck was not on the Pacers’ side in the lottery. Despite having the best odds to land the no. 1 pick (along with the Washington Wizards and the Brooklyn Nets), the Pacers fell just outside the top four.
Still, Indiana can look forward to the return of their All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton next season. Haliburton’s dynamic with Zubac is a weapon that the Pacers have yet to harness.
“Ultimately an Overpay”: Analyst Laments Pacers’ State of Affairs After Losing 1st Round Pick
Meanwhile, analyst Kevin O’Connor is less than optimistic about the Pacers’ current state of affairs.
Responding to Pritchard’s online apology, O’Connor argued that the pivotal Zubac trade was not a financially viable move.
“It really is a brutal day for the Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton ruptures his Achilles in Game 7, a full season gets wasted, and no lottery luck at the end of it. Indiana still has a really good roster but #5, 2029 unprotected, and Mathurin for Zubac is ultimately an overpay.”
Though Maturin has shown significant improvement in a Clippers uniform, a full season of Zubac in Indiana might change analysts’ minds next season.
