The Indiana Pacers just can't catch a break. After a brutal 19-63 season—one that saw them lose superstar Tyrese Haliburton to a serious injury in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals—you'd think the basketball gods might show some mercy. Instead, the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery delivered a gut punch that will be felt for years.

Here's the short of it: the Pacers finished with the NBA's second-worst record, but they won't even get to keep their top-five pick. That selection, which landed at No. 5 overall, is headed straight to the Los Angeles Clippers. Ouch.

So, how did this happen? It all traces back to a trade at the 2026 deadline. Indiana sent the rights to their 2026 first-round pick to the Clippers in exchange for big man Ivica Zubac—a solid, underrated center who's been a steady presence in the paint. The catch? The pick was top-four protected. That means if the Pacers had landed in the top four of the draft order, they'd have kept it. It was the hope of their unofficial tank job without Haliburton. But falling to No. 5? That's the nightmare scenario, and now the pick is conveyed to L.A.

It's a tough pill to swallow for a Pacers team that's still reeling from losing their franchise player in the Finals—and then losing the series, too. Meanwhile, the Clippers are sitting pretty. They bet on Zubac paying off in a trade return, and now they're looking at a potential new contender window with Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland. Talk about a silver lining.

For Pacers fans, this is a harsh reminder of how quickly fortunes can flip in the NBA. One moment you're in the Finals, the next you're watching your draft pick slip away to a rival. And for the Clippers? Well, they might just be building something special.