Pacers don't let NBA Finals stop them from making trades

The Pacers used an off day in the Finals to do some business for the offseason — and next summer. They traded this year's first-round pick (No. 23) along with 2023 second-round pick Mojave King to get their own first-round pick back in 2026. That pick originally went to the Toronto Raptors in last year's trade for Pascal Siakam, who sent it to the New Orleans Pelicans in their deal for Brandon Ingram at the 2025 trade deadline.

This deal helps the Pacers out of a few looming problems for their team. First, they need to re-sign their starting center, Myles Turner, who's likely looking for a new contract worth over $30M. Indiana is roughly $20M under the luxury-tax line, while its owners haven't paid the tax since the 2005-06 season.

It has reportedly decided to go into the tax to retain Turner, but the small-market Pacers might want to minimize how much they pay. Trading this year's first-rounder means not adding a guaranteed contract at $3.24M.

It also means the Pacers have more freedom to trade future first-rounders. NBA teams can't trade their first-round picks in consecutive years, so getting the 2026 pick back allows Indiana to use as many as four first-round picks in any trade after draft night (2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032).

The deal isn't going to do anything to help the Pacers get past the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals. But it could help ensure that this trip to the Finals won't be the Pacers' last.