The Indiana Pacers have completed a trade that, on the surface, appears to be a money-saving endeavor. By swapping their 2025 first-round draft pick for their own 2026 selection from the New Orleans Pelicans, the Pacers have improved their odds of having the money to re-sign Myles Turner.
The bigger picture of what Indiana just pulled off, however, is a level of flexibility that could bring about its next major trade.
The Pacers aren't commonly mentioned in trade speculation pieces, but Kevin Pritchard has proven to be a willing participant in deals for impact players. Past examples include moves for the likes of Malcolm Brogdon, Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, Victor Oladipo, and Pascal Siakam.
The results have more than justified the investments. The Haliburton, Nesmith, and Siakam deals, for instance, have played a direct role in the team making back-to-back Conference Finals appearances and the franchise's first trip to the NBA Finals in 25 years.
As NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor noted, the Pacers' recent draft-related trade has given it the opportunity to build upon that success by packaging as many as four future first-round picks.
Smart deal for Indiana. By acquiring their own first next year, the Pacers will be able to trade firsts in 2026, 2028, 2030, and 2032. Plus swaps in 27, 29 + 31
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 17, 2025
Previously, they were restricted to just this year, 29 and 31 due to protections on the pick that lasted through 27. https://t.co/e29FUyPFsG
It's fair to wonder what comes next for a team that's already in the NBA Finals, but Indiana will have a unique opportunity to appeal to stars and rival executives alike.
Pacers should continue to be a trade destination for high-level talent
One of the quietly accepted truths in the modern era is that any trade for an impact player effectively requires their approval. Exceptions can be made, but teams are often looking for a long-term commitment before they're willing to part with significant assets.
The Pacers are now in a position to not only appeal to players of that caliber, but provide a strong enough offer to land a vast majority of individuals they may choose to target.
As trades for the likes of Desmond Bane and Mikal Bridges have established, draft capital is essential in any move for a starting-caliber player. Moreover, it's crucial to a formula that can enable a franchise to avoid having to include players they might prefer to keep on the roster.
The New York Knicks and Orlando Magic gave up a combined nine first-round draft picks in respective trades for Bridges and Bane, but the players they shipped out were low-volume contributors.
Bojan Bogdanovic, Mamadi Diakite, and Shake Milton weren't expected to play significant minutes for the Knicks in 2024-25. Bridges, meanwhile, instantly became a starter. In Orlando, Cole Anthony averaged just 18.4 minutes per game, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was viewed as a player who a struggling to live up to his salary.
Those were the players New York and Orlando flipped for two of the best wings below the All-Star line—and the Knicks have already made a Conference Finals appearance since adding Bridges.
If the Pacers' recent draft-oriented trade is a sign of things to come, it's fair to thus believe that they'll follow in New York and Orlando's footsteps at some point between the 2025 offseason and the 2026 trade deadline. They now have the capital to go after a player who can bridge whichever gap the front office decides exists.
Perhaps it will all be a matter of creating the flexibility to re-sign Turner, but if the Pacers have proven anything under Pritchard, it's that they'll be active on the trade market.