Kevin Pritchard Explains the Cost of Ivica Zubac: Why the Pacers Couldn’t Protect Their 2026 Pick

CHICAGO — The basketball gods can be cruel, especially when you try to have your cake and eat it too. For Kevin Pritchard and the Indiana Pacers, that lesson came with a sharp sting on Sunday night at the NBA Draft Lottery. The Pacers, who entered the lottery with a 10.5% chance at the No. 1 overall pick, slid to No. 5. That drop is painful enough for a franchise that hasn’t picked this high since selecting Rik Smits second overall in 1988. But the real dagger? That No. 5 pick now belongs to the Los Angeles Clippers.

It was the consequence of a calculated gamble Pritchard made in February when he traded for Ivica Zubac — a move that solidified the Pacers’ starting center position but came with a steep, non-negotiable price tag: a top-four protected 2026 first-round pick. As the lottery balls fell, the protection failed, and the pick conveyed. Pritchard, the Pacers’ president of basketball operations, didn’t flinch when asked about the decision. He stood by it, even as the reality of losing a potential franchise cornerstone pick sank in.

The “Vig” for a Championship Center: Why Protection Was Limited to Pick No. 4

In the aftermath of the lottery, the obvious question echoes through Pacers fan forums and NBA media: Why didn’t Pritchard demand deeper protection on that pick? Why stop at No. 4? Why not protect it through picks 8, 9, or even 10? The answer, according to Pritchard, is simple: the Clippers would have walked away.

“Everybody says, ‘Why didn’t you protect it a lot deeper?’” Pritchard said Sunday night, his voice calm but resolute. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to. That was the vig for us to get Zu.”

Pritchard used a term familiar to gamblers and negotiators alike: the “vig” — the price of doing business. In this case, the vig was the risk that the Pacers’ pick would land outside the top four. The Clippers, led by savvy negotiators like Lawrence Frank, knew they held a valuable asset in Zubac — a 27-year-old, 7-foot-1 center who is a defensive anchor, elite rebounder, and screen-setter. They weren’t going to give him up for a protected pick that might never convey.

“You look at a lot of these big trades that are out there,” Pritchard explained. “You see 4 and 5 and 6 (first-round picks) and (first-round pick) swaps around a star with potential. We think Zu is a great fit for us. At the end of the day, this is what is really important.”

The math was brutal but clear: protect the pick to No. 8 or No. 9, and the trade dies. Protect it to No. 4, and you get your starting center. The Pacers chose the latter, and now they pay the price.

The Pacers’ Priority: Championship Window Over Draft Capital

Pritchard’s reasoning goes beyond simple negotiation. It reflects a philosophical shift in Indiana. For years, the Pacers were a team that hoarded draft picks, developed young talent, and played the long game. But the emergence of Tyrese Haliburton as a top-10 superstar, paired with the explosive scoring of Pascal Siakam and the steady growth of Bennedict Mathurin, changed the timeline. This team is not rebuilding. It is contending.

“I felt like, for a championship team, we needed a starting center,” Pritchard said. “That was Priority 1. They’ve earned the right to try to get a championship. That was not doable protecting this to 8 or 9 or 10 or wherever.”

Zubac, since arriving in Indiana, has been exactly what the Pacers needed. In 28 games with the Pacers (including the playoffs), he averaged 14.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 64% from the field. His presence allowed Haliburton to operate with more space, gave the Pacers a reliable lob threat, and shored up a defense that had been leaky in the paint. The trade transformed Indiana from a fun, high-scoring regular-season team into a legitimate Eastern Conference threat.

And the results spoke for themselves: the Pacers reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2014, pushing the Boston Celtics to six games. Without Zubac, that run likely never happens. With him, the Pacers believe they are one or two moves away from a title.

“We would not have gotten Zu if we didn’t protect it to 4,” Pritchard reiterated. “That’s just it.”

What Losing the Pick Means for the Pacers’ Future

Let’s be clear: losing the No. 5 pick in the 2026 draft stings. This draft class is projected to be deep, with potential stars like Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and Dylan Harper at the top. Even at No. 5, the Pacers could have landed a potential high-level starter or even a future All-Star. That is a significant asset to surrender.

But the Pacers’ draft cupboard is not bare. They still own their 2027 first-round pick (though it is owed to the San Antonio Spurs if it falls outside the top 12, due to the Siakam trade), and they have a cache of young players already on the roster. Mathurin, Jarace Walker, and Ben Sheppard are all under 23 and developing. The Pacers also have the 2025 first-round pick they acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder in the draft-night trade that sent Victor Oladipo to Miami. That pick is currently projected in the late 20s.

More importantly, the Pacers have financial flexibility. With Haliburton on a max extension, Siakam’s contract expiring after next season, and Zubac locked in at a reasonable $11.7 million per year, Indiana can make aggressive moves in free agency or via trade. They are not a team that needs to rely on the draft to find talent. They need to win now.

“We’re in a different phase,” Pritchard said. “We’re a team that’s trying to get to the top. And to do that, you have to take risks. This was a risk we were willing to take.”

Expert Analysis: Was It Worth It?

From a pure asset-management perspective, trading a top-5 pick for a center who is a fringe All-Star is a gamble. But context matters. The Pacers were not trading for a 30-year-old veteran on a decline. Zubac just turned 27 in March and is entering his prime. He is a top-10 center in the NBA, arguably top-5 on the defensive end. In a league where elite big men are scarce, Zubac provides a skill set that is difficult to replicate.

Consider the alternative: the Pacers could have kept the pick, drafted a player like Khaman Maluach or V.J. Edgecombe, and waited 2-3 years for that player to develop. But that timeline does not match Haliburton’s prime. By 2027, Haliburton will be 27 years old and entering his peak. The Pacers cannot afford to waste those years on development projects.

Furthermore, the Pacers’ lottery slide was not a sure thing. They had a 44.8% chance of landing a top-4 pick. They just got unlucky. If the balls had bounced differently, the narrative today would be entirely different: “Pritchard masterfully acquired Zubac while keeping his pick.” Instead, the pick conveyed, and the criticism follows.

But Pritchard is not second-guessing. “It was negotiated,” he said. “And we fought like heck. They’re very good negotiators.”

Prediction: The Pacers Will Still Be Fine

Losing a top-5 pick is a blow, but it is not a fatal one. The Pacers have a top-5 offense when healthy, a defensive anchor in Zubac, and a superstar point guard in Haliburton. They are one of the deepest teams in the East, with Myles Turner (who shifted to power forward effectively), Aaron Nesmith, and Andrew Nembhard rounding out a formidable rotation.

Expect the Pacers to be aggressive this offseason. They will likely use their mid-level exception to add a veteran wing shooter or a backup point guard. They may also explore trades involving Mathurin or Walker if the right star becomes available. The goal is clear: win a championship now.

“We think Zu is a great fit for us,” Pritchard concluded. “At the end of the day, this is what is really important.”

And he’s right. The Pacers made a bet. They lost the draft pick. But they gained a center who helped them reach the conference finals. In the high-stakes world of NBA roster construction, sometimes that’s the best you can hope for. The vig was steep, but the payoff might still be a banner.

Final thought: The Pacers’ championship window is open. Zubac is the key to that window. And while the 2026 pick is gone, the memories of a deep playoff run — and the potential for more — are very much alive.

Source: Based on news from Yahoo Sports.