Pacers Make Trade During NBA Finals

The Indiana Pacers are busy trying to win their first NBA championship. But hey, they have to continue to do business anyway, right? Right, the Pacers say.

With that in mind, the Pacers went ahead and made a trade involving their first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. More specifically, the Pacers are sending the No. 23 pick in this year’s draft, plus the rights to 2023 second-rounder Mojave King, to the New Orleans Pelicans. In return, New Orleans is giving back Indiana’s 2026 first-rounder.

That 2026 pick has been well-traveled. It originally went to Toronto in the Pascal Siakam deal, then to New Orleans in the Brandon Ingram trade. Now it’s back with the Pacers.

So, no players involved. Just picks getting rerouted, and the Pelicans sneaking into the back end of this year’s first round.

As for the Finals, Indiana must now win two in a row — as it trails the series vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder by a 3-2 count. Game 6 is Thursday in Indianapolis.