No crew has had an even bigger drop-off from final season than the Indiana Pacers, who’re with out star Tyrese Haliburton for all the season. Clearly, after making the NBA Finals and coming inside a win of a championship, it is onerous for Pacers followers to see their crew at the moment simply 3-16.
Happily for Pacers followers, there’s a large silver lining: the crew is at the moment tied for the worst document within the NBA. If that holds, then that may give them a 40.1% likelihood at a top-3 choose and a 40.1% likelihood at touchdown one of many three high draft prospects on this draft class.
AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cam Boozer headline the 2026 NBA Draft and every have multi-time all-star potential, with one even being in comparison with Corridor of Famer Tracy McGrady. NBA analyst Kevin O’Conner lately in contrast Dybantsa to McGrady, and the Pacers may very nicely be ready to draft him.
AJ Dybantsa appears like Tracy McGrady pic.twitter.com/Tbaj3d5wFm
— Kevin O’Connor (@KevinOConnor) November 16, 2025
Placing an athletic 6-10 wing who can rating and defend at a excessive degree on the Pacers would give Indiana a humiliation of riches when absolutely wholesome.
The Indiana Pacers’ hole 12 months may land them a famous person
Think about including a kind of three prospects to the core that got here inside a recreation of profitable the NBA Finals. Having a wholesome Haliburton will go a protracted strategy to getting the Pacers again into rivalry with them nonetheless having Pascal Siakam. In the meantime, Ben Mathurin seems to have taken a significant step ahead.
Now, add, say, Dybantsa to the combo, and the Pacers would immediately look scary a 12 months faraway from making the NBA Finals.
Even Peterson or Boozer can be nice comfort prizes and probably give them a foundational constructing block.
The Pacers traditionally have constructed via the draft. And though they’ve hardly ever been one of many worst groups within the NBA, getting a excessive choose could possibly be franchise altering.
If Indy lands Dybantsa, Peterson, or Boozer, and that participant shortly develops right into a star, they might have a giant 4 that has the expertise to win a championship with out breaking the financial institution. That is necessary as a result of Mathurin is a restricted free agent after this season, which means the Pacers may signal him to a positive long-term deal.
Haliburton has three remaining years on his contract, and Siakam has two, and whoever they draft within the lottery can be on an affordable four-year contract. That might have at the very least a two-year window with Haliburton, Siakam, Mathurin, and Dybantsa, Peterson, or Boozer and a transparent path again to rivalry after struggling via this season.
