Even with their sights set on winning the NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers are still making moves. ESPN's Shams Charania has reported that the Pacers traded the No. 23 pick in the 2025 draft to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for their 2026 first-round pick back.
The Pels will also receive the draft rights to Mojave King, whom the Pacers selected in the second round of the 2023 draft.
The Pelicans originally acquired Indiana's 2026 first-round pick in the Brandon Ingram trade at the 2025 NBA trade deadline.
For New Orleans, this trade was a brilliant first move by Joe Dumars. Given the Pacers' success this season, their pick will likely fall in the very late 20s for years to come. Rather than waiting for that pick, Dumars flipped it into a much more valuable asset now.
No matter the direction the Pelicans go on draft night, whether they trade up or stay put and bring in two rookies, New Orleans is in a spot where it can now pursue either path.
This trade now gives Indiana control of its first-round picks from 2026 through 2032, and with the depth of young talent already on their bench, adding another rookie could have created a logjam in Rick Carlisle's rotations.
Indiana will now also be $20 million under the luxury tax threshold, reducing their tax penalty. This will make bringing back Myles Turner easier and help fill out the rest of their roster for the 2025-26 season.
This trade is a win-win for both teams
This trade is absolutely a win for both teams. Indiana now avoids the luxury tax threshold while regaining control of their picks. This can also leave things flexible, if they decide to make an aggressive win-now trade.
For New Orleans, this gives them another asset that teams drafting ahead of them would value, a potential package of Herb Jones, pick No. 7, and pick No. 23 for the 3rd pick from the Philadelphia 76ers could be a tough offer for Daryl Morey to refuse.
While this trade opens the door for New Orleans to move up for Ace Bailey, drafting two rookies could offer more value. New Orleans has its fair share of holes, and rookie contracts have never been more valuable, so being able to fill two needs instead of looking for the next superstar draft prospect could be more beneficial.
Whatever path the Pelicans take, it’s clear that Joe Dumars has a plan, and this was a strong first step as the new front office leader.