In a turn of events that is sure to be a disappointment to Indiana Pacers fans, the team just lost its 2026 lottery pick.
After the pick fell to No. 5 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, it now belongs to the Los Angeles Clippers, and the NBA world had some strong reactions.
NBA World Reacts to Pacers Losing No. 5 Overall Pick to Clippers
The Clippers acquired the Pacers’ pick as part of the trade-deadline deal that sent Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown to Indiana in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, a top-four protected 2026 first-round pick, and a 2029 unprotected first-round pick.
For the Pacers, it was a calculated gamble, as the pick would only convey to the Clippers if it fell out of the top four. Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard has since said that he thought Indiana was “due some luck” and thought the pick would ultimately land in the top-four.
The Pacers had the second-worst record in the NBA, meaning they had a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 pick and a 52.1% of landing in the top four. That obviously didn’t happen, and now the NBA world is feeling for Indiana since they don’t have a first-round pick after a dreadful 19-win season.
“The Pacers TANKED all season for… Ivica Zubac 😬. They didn’t land their lottery pick because of the trade. What a meltdown,” Polymarket Hoops posted on X.
The Pacers TANKED all season for… Ivica Zubac 😬
They didn’t land their lottery pick because of the trade. What a meltdown… pic.twitter.com/lSR6oaEnyG
— Polymarket Hoops (@PolymarketHoops) May 10, 2026
“Absolutely devastating for the Pacers. Imagine being that close to a top-4 pick in this draft… on a rookie salary,” Doug Kezirian of the New York Post wrote on X.
Absolutely devastating for the Pacers
Imagine being THAT close to a top-4 pick in this draft…on a rookie salary
— Doug Kezirian (@DougKezirian) May 10, 2026
“That’s brutal for the Pacers. So close to getting one of the big four. After a year of tanking they get nothing,” podcaster Joel Moran wrote on X.
“The Pacers not getting a lottery pick after that season feels like such a disaster. Ivica Zubac should be a good fit with Tyrese Haliburton, but he’s 29 and has one accolade (a 2024-25 All-Defensive nod) in his career,” Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey added.
That’s brutal for the Pacers. So close to getting one of the big four.
After a year of tanking they get nothing
— Joel Moran (@joelvmoran) May 10, 2026
“Pacers losing a top five pick from a midseason trade where they still weren’t trying to win after is crazy,” Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports wrote on X.
“No pressure Ivica Zubac but you are going to have to be Kareem now,” NBA influencer Rob Perez joked.
No pressure Ivica Zubac but you are going to have to be Kareem now. https://t.co/vepHGC9ZYU
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) May 10, 2026
Losing their pick in a class that is absolutely loaded with elite prospects at the top is devastating for the Pacers. Had they landed in the top four, they would have had something to show for the 2025-26 campaign, which was basically lost following Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles in the 2025 NBA Finals.
The Pacers went from dreaming about landing BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, Duke’s Cameron Boozer, or North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson to not getting a first-round prospect at all. Now, they will have to build around their star guard in other ways while hoping Zubac can take his game to the next level in Indiana next season.
READ MORE: 2026 NBA Draft Order: Complete Lottery Results After Wizards Win No. 1 Overall Pick
Zubac is no slouch at the center position. He is currently one of the league’s best rebounders, averaging double-figure boards in each of the last two seasons. Offensively, he also uses his 7-foot frame effectively, averaging double figures in points in each of the last five seasons.
This season, Zubac averaged 14.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 blocks on 59.8% shooting from the field. He appeared in just five games with the Pacers due to injuries, averaging 11.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.8 blocks in 23.6 minutes.
