Pels now on the clock at pick #23

Indiana gets their 2026 1st back

Now the question is will they use it to draft a player or will they package it to move up...

There are some reports this could be an indication we are trading the # 7 pick ?

https://pelicandebrief.com/latest-re...h-overall-pick

It's like I can see it being a sign we're packaging things for a move up but I can also see it as the reason we were trying out a lot of mid first round players. Could go anywhere.

If you were the Spurs or 76ers....would you prefer the #23 pick we just got or the future pick we just traded? I might be totally wrong but my first take is that the future pick is more enticing in a trade package...even if it's a great team..

I think the Spurs will keep 2. If Harper is a true blue chipper the Spurs will keep the pick. Only way they would consider it is if the Pels put Murphy and 7 on the table

As for the Sixers, I think they could be convinced maybe

https://bsky.app/profile/fearthebrow.../3lrt35yzml22f

"To my understanding, the Pelicans are very much wanting to take multiple shots in this draft. I would be shocked if this is a precursor to a large move."

- Shamit Dua

Wonder if they take a pg at 7 or a big

And at 23 a pg or big

Could do pg/ stretch 5 maybe

If they plan to keep it, there's some intriguing talent in the end of first round.
Flemming, Saraf, Traore, Raynaud or Clifford would be names I hope two see called here.

Please keep the pick

Seems weird to me to make this trade now. What's the urgency? We couldn't wait a game or two to make sure Haliburton survives the series without more serious injury? Why make the trade without knowing who's available at 23?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ml wave

Seems weird to me to make this trade now. What's the urgency? We couldn't wait a game or two to make sure Haliburton survives the series without more serious injury? Why make the trade without knowing who's available at 23?

---

It’s a gamble but the thought process is Pacers 2026 pick will be worse then 23 so why not use 23 to fill a void on the team or package with 7 and move up this year.

I might be idealizing the thought process here but may be the Front Office know especially from Dumars previous experience how hard it is to fairly assess NBA prospect while your franchise is playing in the finals and they wanted to take advantage of it.

I think it's a solid move. Get solid talent in a tad earlier and hope it pans out. Really all you could ask for from that spot in the draft. Doubt the Pacers will move much next season so why not

https://x.com/DraftExpress/status/1935542760674869456

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Blattman

I might be idealizing the thought process here but may be the Front Office know especially from Dumars previous experience how hard it is to fairly assess NBA prospect while your franchise is playing in the finals and they wanted to take advantage of it.

---

Don't understand how this applies. We make the pick, not Indiana. It doesn't matter how they evaluate?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ml wave

Don't understand how this applies. We make the pick, not Indiana. It doesn't matter how they evaluate?

---

Because they didn't have enough time to evaluate the talent available and dynamics in place, they undervalued the pick, so they didn't ask for as much value as others in the same draft range.

Cost cutting move for Indiana and unlikely playing time main factors for Indiana. Plus it’s always good to have your own pick back if things go horribly wrong.

In the NFL, the soonest pick is coveted. So a team will often trade 1st picks in the current draft for a future 2nd. In this case, the future pick is more coveted. NBA teams like to kick the can down the road to have ammunition for trades. A competing team views that flexibility as more beneficial than the player that could possibly be drafted.

So the Pacers viewed the future pick as better thus they even traded the rights to a player to attain it. It's kind of odd that WE wanted the #23 pick over the future one but it probably Just means that we see we need to fill two needs (big man and ball handler).

Supposedly the Pelicans had a private workout with Hansen Yang a few weeks ago. Curious if they'll be looking at him at 23.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ml wave

Seems weird to me to make this trade now. What's the urgency? We couldn't wait a game or two to make sure Haliburton survives the series without more serious injury? Why make the trade without knowing who's available at 23?

---

Dumars again shows his incompetence. No need to make a trade like this 8 days before the draft with Indiana still playing and Haliburton playing through a calf strain.

We clearly jinxed Tyrese with the trade.

He is feeling that #PelsLife tonight.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PELICANSFAN

Dumars again shows his incompetence. No need to make a trade like this 8 days before the draft with Indiana still playing and Haliburton playing through a calf strain.

---

NO ONE could have predicted that Haliburton would tear his Achilles in an elimination game. I wouldn?t be surprised if the Pacers wanted their 2026 pick back to draft a replacement for Turner. It’s obvious the Pelicans like a lot of players in this draft vs the 2026 class. There’s no guarantee the Pacers will finish in the lottery. I just don?t see a Carlisle coached team wanting to tank. They still have enough depth to finish 4-8 in the East.

Unless the Pacers decide to fold next season and let good players like Turner go....they'll still be a playoff team in the East.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DaFranchise80

NO ONE could have predicted that Haliburton would tear his Achilles in an elimination game. I wouldn?t be surprised if the Pacers wanted their 2026 pick back to draft a replacement for Turner. It’s obvious the Pelicans like a lot of players in this draft vs the 2026 class. There’s no guarantee the Pacers will finish in the lottery. I just don?t see a Carlisle coached team wanting to tank. They still have enough depth to finish 4-8 in the East.

---

No one? He had a calf strain. That alone should have made Dumars at least wait until the series was over. If a player continues to push a calf strain, it can often lead to an achilles injury. It has happened multiple times. Many people were saying it was a huge risk to continue to play on it. Shouldn't that have been enough to at least wait until the series was over? What was the rush to acquire a low first round pick in exchange for an unknown pick in a stacked 2026 draft? That trade would have been available at any time.

If they waited until after the Finals, that means they would only have 2 days until the draft. They're not getting anyone in for a private workout at that point, and it probably isn't enough time to review any medicals or other documentation you request that you otherwise would not get from players that don't think you're going to draft them because you don't have a pick in their projected range.

Pacers are still almost certainly making the playoffs next year anyway. The Pacers have a lot of solid players and the East is a mess. They probably finish around 42 wins and around the 6/7 seed. I'd guess the pick ends up around ~18 next year.

Or maybe it ends up around 10th, and we see the same people complain about it, and then it jumps to top 4 where the Pels would have lost the pick outright and those same people currently complaining about it would say "Of course we lost it, that's just the Pels luck".

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DaFranchise80

NO ONE could have predicted that Haliburton would tear his Achilles in an elimination game. I wouldn?t be surprised if the Pacers wanted their 2026 pick back to draft a replacement for Turner. It’s obvious the Pelicans like a lot of players in this draft vs the 2026 class. There’s no guarantee the Pacers will finish in the lottery. I just don?t see a Carlisle coached team wanting to tank. They still have enough depth to finish 4-8 in the East.

---

If you scroll up this thread you'll find that I predicted it a week ago. Wasn't that hard to predict either, especially given the exact same thing happened to Durant in GS.

Turner to the bucks. This deal is looking bad