The Pacers aren’t hiding from reality - and they’re not backing down from it, either.
With the trade deadline in the rearview and Indiana now rolling into the final stretch of the season, GM Chad Buchanan made it clear: this is an evaluation period, and the Pacers are already thinking big-picture. When asked what the roster still needs after acquiring a new starting center, Buchanan delivered a half-joking, half-telling response: “I’d like a top-four pick.”
That comment might’ve been said with a smile, but the intent behind it was dead serious. Indiana is headed for the lottery, and these final two months are about more than just playing out the schedule. They’re about figuring out who fits, what works, and how this team can be reshaped into a legitimate contender - fast.
“Depending on if we have the pick or don’t have the pick determines some of what we do roster-wise, what we have flexibility-wise with the cap,” Buchanan said. “But we’re going to be aggressive to try to put ourselves in a position to compete and contend for a championship next year. And whatever that means, we’re going to try and do it.”
That aggressive mindset? It already showed up at the trade deadline.
After losing longtime anchor Myles Turner in free agency last summer, Indiana found itself in a revolving door at center. They tried different looks, different options - but nothing stuck.
The need for a reliable five became too obvious to ignore. That’s when Ivica Zubac entered the picture.
According to Buchanan, Zubac was the guy - Indiana’s “number one clear target” - and not just because of his on-court production. It was the total package: his age, his fit with the current core, his professionalism, and the way he plays the game.
The Pacers could’ve waited until the offseason to make a move. They didn’t.
“You just never know if you wait, is the opportunity still there?” Buchanan said.
“Other teams may have a need this summer and now you have more competition for a player. We wanted to be in the race, not standing on the sidelines watching.”
So Indiana made the call, and paid the price. The Pacers sent out a 2026 first-round pick - one that’s protected, but could still land the Clippers a selection in the five-to-nine range.
That’s not nothing. But for Buchanan, it was a necessary cost to land a player who can help stabilize the frontcourt and bring some consistency to the middle.
“Ideally, you don’t have to give up anything,” Buchanan admitted. “But to get a good player, you’ve got to give up something too. There’s a little pain on both sides.”
That’s where Indiana is right now - not tanking, not chasing moral victories, but using every game left on the calendar to figure out what’s real and what needs to change. The Zubac trade wasn’t just about filling a hole.
It was a signal. The Pacers are looking ahead, and they’re not waiting around for the offseason to start building the team they want to be.
Championship contention might not be the present. But it’s very much the plan.