Pacers President of Basketball Operations apologizes for losing first-round pick

“I’m really sorry to all our fans,” Pritchard wrote. “I own taking this risk. Surprised it came up 5th after this year. I thought we were due some luck. But please remember – this team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year. We have always been resilient.”

Even Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton seemed defeated on social media after receiving the news.

To be fair, the move made a lot of sense for the Pacers, who were in need of a true center at the time after the departure of longtime starter Myles Turner.

Unfortunately, the Wizards moved up in the lottery, meaning Indiana’s pick cannot be protected and automatically goes to the Clippers.

It’s a stroke of very bad luck, but the mid-season trade was an admirable move and one that still makes sense.