Tyrese Haliburton Backs Pacers' Kevin Pritchard After NBA Draft Lottery 'Coin Toss'

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton defended the decision by president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard to trade a first-round pick for Ivica Zubac after his team lost the selection due to a fall in the 2026 NBA draft lottery.

"I mean, it was a coin toss," Haliburton said when asked about Pritchard's apology for losing the pick in an NBA on Prime appearance earlier last week. "The way I'm looking at these last 12 months for me, dating back from June, I didn't think we were really due any luck. A rough 12 months for me.

"KP didn't have to apologize. They take a calculated risk, and I'm still rolling with the decision. I'm excited to add Zu to our crew, and I think we're going to be really good alongside him."

With Haliburton sitting out the season amid recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, the Pacers went 19-63 before dropping to No. 5 in the draft lottery.

That pick now belongs to the Los Angeles Clippers, who were owed the top-four protected selection as part of the trade for Zubac.

Pritchard took the blame for the losing the pick last Sunday on social media in a post saying he had hoped to keep the selection because the Pacers "were due some luck."

"But please remember— this team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year," Pritchard wrote.

The Pacers will now hope to find more success next season with both Zubac and Haliburton in the lineup despite missing out on a top-five pick in what is expected to be a strong 2026 draft.