It’s never too early to think about next season. The Indiana Pacers has announced a trade as the team currently battles the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Finals.
On Tuesday, the Pacers announced the team has reacquired its first-round 2026 NBA Draft pick from the New Orleans Pelicans after trading away their No. 23 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and the rights to guard Mojave King.
The Pacers originally gave up its conditional first-round 2026 NBA Draft pick in January 2024 in a deal to acquire forward Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors then shipped the Pacers’ 2026 NBA Draft pick to the Pelicans in a package to acquire Brandon Ingram. Now, the pick is back in Indiana.
The Pacers will not have a first-round pick in next week’s 2025 NBA Draft for the second consecutive year. They aren’t shut out of the draft completely and will be on the clock for the No. 54 pick in the second round.
King, a New Zealand native that grew up in Australia, was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 47th overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. But King has not played in the league and plays professionally overseas.
The Pacers trail the Thunder, three games to two, in the 2025 NBA Finals, which shifts back to Indianapolis for Game 6 on Thursday, June 19.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.