Indiana Pacers Complete NBA Draft Trade While Competing in The Finals

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Toran Flores | Last updated Jun 17, 2025 3:14 PM ET

Amid their battle between the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers are still taking calls regarding the future of their team.

After the Pacers dropped Game 5 to the Thunder with a final score of 120-109 on Monday night, they will look to continue to battle for their first NBA championship in franchise history.

This hasn't stopped the Pacers' front office from taking calls on the future, and the team was able to complete a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans before the 2025 NBA Draft takes place on June 25.

Senior NBA insider Shams Charania broke the news on Tuesday, and the trade involves draft picks as well as a player within the Pacers' organization.

"The Indiana Pacers are trading their No. 23 pick and the rights to Mojave King to the New Orleans Pelicans for Indiana's own 2026 first-round pick back which the Pelicans had previously acquired," Charania said on X.

NBA draft deal: The Indiana Pacers are trading their No. 23 pick and the rights to Mojave King to the New Orleans Pelicans for Indiana's own 2026 first-round pick back which the Pelicans had previously acquired, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 17, 2025

The Pacers will reacquire a 2026 first-round pick that originally belonged to them before it was dealt to the the Toronto Raptors in January of 2024 as part of the trade for Pascal Siakam.

The pick was later included in another deal when the Raptors traded for former New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram.

Now, it has made it back to the Pacers, and they will be sending former second-round pick Mojave King and their No. 23 pick in 2025 to the Pelicans.

Indiana now has ahold of just one selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, and that pick will be at No. 54.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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