In a candid moment after Sunday's NBA Draft Lottery, Indiana Pacers president Kevin Pritchard opened up about the tough decisions behind February's blockbuster trade with the LA Clippers—and why the team's 2026 first-round pick is now heading to Los Angeles.

The Pacers fell to the No. 5 spot in the lottery, meaning their unprotected 2026 first-round pick—originally traded to acquire center Ivica Zubac—will go to the Clippers. For a franchise that hasn't picked this high since selecting Rik Smits at No. 2 in 1988, it's a painful pill to swallow. But Pritchard insists there was no other way.

"Everybody says, 'Why didn't you protect it a lot deeper?'" Pritchard explained. "Unfortunately, we weren't able to. That was the vig for us to get Zu."

The Pacers' front office fought hard in negotiations, but the Clippers held firm. Pritchard revealed that Los Angeles would not have agreed to the deal if Indiana had pushed protection beyond the fourth pick. "It was negotiated, and we fought like heck," he said. "They're very good negotiators. We would not have gotten Zu if we didn't protect it to 4. That's just it."

For Pritchard, the decision came down to championship priorities. "We needed a starting center. That was Priority 1," he said. "They've earned the right to try to get a championship. That was not doable protecting this to 8 or 9 or 10."

The trade reflects a calculated gamble: the Pacers bet on their current roster's potential, sacrificing a future high pick for an immediate upgrade at center. With the draft's center class considered thin, Pritchard noted there wasn't another viable path to land a starting-caliber big man. Whether this move pays off will depend on how far Zubac can help take a team that's clearly in win-now mode.