Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard issued a public apology late Sunday after the club’s 2026 first-round draft choice landed at No. 5 and immediately transferred to the Los Angeles Clippers.
“I’m really sorry to all our fans. I own taking this risk,” Pritchard posted on social media on May 10, 2026. “Surprised it came up 5th after this year. I thought we were due some luck.”
The selection had been top-four protected as part of the in-season trade that brought center Ivica Zubac to Indiana. Because the pick fell one spot outside the protected range, it conveyed to the Clippers.
Indiana entered the lottery with the league’s second-worst record and strong odds of retaining a top-four pick in what is widely considered a deep draft class. Instead, the ball combinations dropped the Pacers to fifth, costing them the pick.
In the same message, Pritchard defended the trade, emphasizing the team’s need for a starting center to compete next season. The full package that secured Zubac also sent Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, a 2029 first-rounder and a future second-round pick to Los Angeles.
With the lottery results finalized, the Clippers secure a top-five selection while the Pacers move forward without a first-round pick in 2026.
Source: Hoops Wire
