Draft picks can disappear fast in the NBA. One minute they look like currency for a big swing, and the next they’re gone in a June deal or buried in a trade that never really pays off. Indiana has already lived plenty of that reality, turning first-rounders into Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac while also spending several picks in the process.
Even after those moves, though, the Pacers are not tapped out.
Indiana still controls its own first-round picks in 2027 and 2028, then owes one to the LA Clippers in 2029 from the Zubac trade. After that, the Pacers have their own firsts again. Under the Stepien rule, that gives them three tradeable first-round picks.
That’s not Oklahoma City or San Antonio territory. The Thunder have seven tradeable firsts, while the Spurs have four, and those two teams also combine for 26 movable second-rounders. But Indiana is in a better spot than some of the other teams in the fringe-contender tier.
Cleveland has just one movable first-round pick and two tradable picks overall. Minnesota has already sent out its only tradable pick in the LaMelo Ball trade. Boston, once the poster child for stockpiling draft assets, is down to five picks it can move and still owes a swap to San Antonio.
So no, the Pacers do not have the kind of draft stash that usually comes with a teardown. But they do have enough to keep hunting for upgrades.
The hard part is finding the right target. In today’s NBA, it’s tough to justify sending out multiple firsts for anyone outside the true star tier, especially with the lottery changes making even fringe playoff picks more valuable than they used to be.
One player who keeps coming up around Pacers circles is Trey Murphy III. He may not be the shot creator Indiana could chase, but he also wouldn’t wreck the system that has powered the team’s success.
The problem is the price. The New Orleans Pelicans’ reported asking price of three firsts is steep for a player who has no All-Star appearances and no seasons on a winning team, even though he did make the playoffs as part of a 36-46 Pelicans team in 2021-22.
Indiana could also wait for a bigger name to shake loose, someone who fits the starting two-guard spot and lets Andrew Nembhard return to the bench. Another path would be a wing creator who can play either shooting guard or small forward.
However it shakes out, the Pacers still have three picks to work with. In a league where draft capital is getting more valuable by the year, that means they’re still very much in the game.
In Other News...
Pacers Suddenly Have A Braden Smith Decision They Never Expected
Braden Smiths path to the Pacers just got a lot more complicated than anyone expected. Indiana drafted the Purdue guard, but he still has not signed a contract, and a recent court ruling now puts him in a position few thought would be on the table this late in the process. For a team that had been looking ahead to roster-building, the timing of this twist arrives with real relevance.
A Colorado judges ruling opened the door for players from the 2022 college class to return to college basketball despite previously exhausting their eligibility, which means Smith could choose another season at Purdue. The NCAA plans to appeal, so the picture is far from settled, and Indiana is left waiting on a decision that could affect how, and whether, Smith fits into its plans next season. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Face An Early Mario Hezonja Decision That Could Matter
A league source has downplayed the idea that the Bulls are especially eager to pry Bennedict Mathurin away, even though Chicago does view him as a talented player. The bigger issue for the Bulls appears to be fit and timing, with the franchise still focused on keeping roster flexibility and stockpiling future assets rather than jumping into a deal that could force a sign-and-trade, cost draft capital, and bring a multi-year commitment with it.
For the Pacers, the more immediate roster wrinkle involves Mario Hezonja in Cleveland, where he signed a non-guaranteed contract that turns guaranteed if he is still on the roster past Nov. 15. Indiana has already made a series of small but meaningful roster moves since February, and these little transactions can shape the margins of a season just as much as the bigger headlines do. [Read more 🡒]