On Tuesday, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the Pacers traded the No. 23 pick in this month's draft and the rights to Mojave King to the Pelicans in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick that originally belonged to Indiana. The future first-round pick is the one that the Pacers sent to the Toronto Raptors in last year's trade for Pascal Siakam.
Indiana gave up Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, two 2024 first-round picks, and a 2026 first-round pick for Siakam. The Raptors used the 2026 first-round pick in the 2025 deadline trade with the Pelicans for Brandon Ingram, along with Brown, Kelly Olynyk, and a 2031 second-round pick.
The first-round pick is back with Indiana, which made the trade during the NBA Finals, a move that Denver also made in 2023 during its championship run. The Pacers need to clear cap space to re-sign Myles Turner, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, but is widely expected to stay in Indiana after his role in helping the Pacers make the finals.
First-round pick the Raptors acquired in Siakam trade returns to Pacers
Nobody thought that a year after trading Siakam, Toronto would acquire Ingram. Based on Sunday's blockbuster trade between the Grizzlies and Magic, the Raptors are the winners of their trade with the Pelicans, given what they gave up in return for the forward. Ingram didn't play for the Raptors after the trade because of an ankle sprain.
Toronto hopes next season that it will be on a similar path to Indiana's now. Masai Ujiri traded for Ingram at the right time, giving the Raptors an All-Star-level player to help them make a run in a conference that grew even weaker after Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles in the playoffs. There are a few teams that are at the top of the East -- Indiana, Cleveland, and New York -- but there are question marks outside of that. That is why Orlando went all-in on Desmond Bane.
The offseason hasn't officially begun, but the dominoes are already starting to fall for what is shaping up to be a busy summer. Tuesday's trade was a minor one, but as we continue to approach the first round of the draft on June 25, trade activity should ramp up.