Getty
SEATTLE - APRIL 1: Head coach Kevin Pritchard of the Portland Trail Blazers claps during the game against the Seattle Sonics at Key Arena on April 1, 2005 in Seattle, Washington. The Sonics won 89-87. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
The Indiana Pacers could not have had a worse draft lottery. Not only did they not win the number one pick for the first time in franchise history, but they lost their pick entirely. The pick slid backwards to five, and that means the Los Angeles Clippers get it.
At the trade deadline, President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard made a very bold trade. He decided to trade Bennedict Mathruin, Isaiah Jackson, and two first-round picks for Ivica Zubac and Kibe Brown. Really, the trade was for Zubac in order to fill a need at center. One of the picks was the 2026 first-round pick, which was protected 5-9.
With that being the case, the Clippers now get the pick. Right after the results were shown, Pritchard reacted to losing the pick.
GettyIndiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle reacts during a game. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Right after the results were known, Pritchard was asked if he thinks the trade for Zubac will be judged by the lottery results. Pritchard says he’s okay if it is.
“I’m okay with that. I never feel like you can slow-play your way into success in this league. You have to swing, and again, I wanted the pick. We wanted the pick, and I know people are going to be disappointed, but you have to remember our top seven or eight players are still with us. So today, it stings. But wait until next season. Let’s give this group an opportunity to compete for a championship because they’ve proven they can do it, and we’ve added a really good center in Zu.”
Pritchard also posted to social media to let the fan base know that he was just as disappointed with the results as they were.
I’m really sorry to all our fans. I own taking this risk. Surprised it came up 5th after this year. I thought we were due some luck. But please remember – this team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year. We have always been resilient.
It’s clear that Pritchard has a very high opinion of Zubac, or he wouldn’t have made that trade to begin with. Even at five, the Pacers wouldn’t have gotten a star player at a position of need. All of the forwards would have been taken. That means it would have been a bunch of guards at that spot, which is where Indiana has the most depth.
GettyIndiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton shoots the ball. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Pritchard has a lot of faith in this roster. Tyrese Haliburton will return next season. That should give the Pacers an offensive boost immediately. Zubac fills a hole at the center spot and gives them a rim protector who can play physically with the biggest centers in the league.
This offseason will still be key for the Pacers. Indiana needs to have a smart approach to improving the team. They have just $7.7 million in cap space before the first apron. They also have five of their next six first round picks available to trade.
The last few years have proven that Pritchard is not afraid to make a big move. They still need depth at the wing spot, which this draft would have provided. Figuring that out will be Pritchard’s top priority as the summer moves along.
Ryan Stano Ryan Stano covers the NBA and College Football for Heavy.com. He has been covering sports since 2017, covering the NFL, College Football, College Basketball, and the NBA. His work has been featured on Yahoo, Bleacher Report, FanSided, and Sports Illustrated. More about Ryan Stano
此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。
