The Indiana Pacers entered the 2026 NBA Draft lottery with high hopes—and the best odds—but walked away empty-handed. After a rough season that saw them win just 19 games following their near-title run last June, the basketball gods simply didn't have the Pacers' number this year.

Here's the twist: despite being tied for the best chance at the No. 1 overall pick, Indiana won't even get a first-rounder. Instead, that pick is heading to the Los Angeles Clippers, all thanks to a trade deadline deal made back in February.

The Clippers—who made the Play-In Tournament and dealt with the Kawhi Leonard drama all season—will now pick at No. 5 overall thanks to some lottery luck. And as the results played out on Sunday, the reactions came fast and furious, from NBA fans to Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton and even the team's president of basketball operations.

How did the Pacers lose their pick?

Let's break it down. The Pacers looked poised to land a top-4 selection in what's widely considered one of the deepest draft classes in recent years. With 14.0 percent odds at the No. 1 pick—tied for the best in the league—Indiana had every reason to feel confident about adding a young star after a lost 2025-26 campaign.

But at the trade deadline, the Pacers made a gamble. Already knowing their season was heading toward the lottery, Indiana set its sights on contention for 2026-27. They swung a deal to acquire starting center Ivica Zubac from the Clippers, a move designed to bolster the frontcourt alongside Pascal Siakam for next season.

The catch? The Clippers received Indiana's 2026 first-round pick in return, but with a complex set of protections: picks No. 1-4 and No. 10-30 would stay with the Pacers, while picks No. 5-9 would go to Los Angeles. When the lottery balls landed at No. 5, the Clippers hit the jackpot—and the Pacers were left to watch their future pick slip away.

For a team that was on the brink of an NBA title just a year ago, it's a tough pill to swallow. But the Pacers' gamble on Zubac shows they're thinking about winning now, even if it meant sacrificing a high draft pick in a loaded class.