In a recent article by Bobby Marks of ESPN, Marks had the Pacers available assets to be traded as one of the worst in the NBA, tiering them with the Boston Celtics in the “Gap Year” tier.

With the Pacers running thin of guys on rookie scale contracts, I thought it would be worthwhile to rank the Pacers assets by tiers, and evaluate the whole roster. 

After the Pacers lost the 5th overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, Kevin Pritchard did two interviews where he specifically said, “we have five of six picks”, meaning the Pacers only outgoing future pick is the 2029 first-round pick that they sent to the Clippers in the Ivica Zubac trade.

Having multiple future picks is the gold standard for a team trying to make a blockbuster move. The moment you trade those picks, the harder it is to acquire a future star player. 

The unknown of what these picks could become is viewed as a greater asset than the actual player drafted most of the times. The mystery box of the unknown, versus the known commodity is always a major part in trade negotiations. 

With that said, here is my ranking of the Indiana Pacers assets: 

Tier 1 – Them Picks

You guessed it. The Pacers’ future picks are their most coveted asset. They have the ability to trade three picks, and three pick swaps. The unprotected picks have significantly more value than the swaps, but both are valuable in different ways. 

Available picks starting July, 1, 2026:

-2027 first-round pick
-2028 first-round pick swap
-2030 first-round pick swap
-2031 first-round pick
-2032 first-round pick
-2033 first-round pick

The Stepien Rule

It is worth noting that the Stepien Rule would apply to the Pacers for any future picks they trade out. They are not allowed to trade future picks in consecutive years. This means that if Indiana wanted to deal picks in 2031, 2032, and 2033, they would only be able to send out picks in 2031 and 2033. They could send out a 2032 pick swap, but they must maintain a draft pick that year. 

The Stepien Rule Loophole
If you’re wondering how the Pacers can trade their 2027 first-round pick on July 1st, after sending their 2026 first-round pick to the Clippers, it’s due to the fact that the Stepien Rule specifically says “future picks”. Since 2027 would be the current pick of the 2026-27 season, it would not be considered a “future pick” which then allows them to move off of it. 

All this to say, Indiana can trade at most three first-round picks and three pick swaps. 

Tier 2 – The Untouchables

In the next tier, we have just two players: Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton. 

These multi-time All-Stars are the heart and soul of this Indiana Pacers team. They unquestionably have the highest value across the league, but Indiana will not be trading either of them this season. 

Siakam is the perfect blend of a three-level scorer, who can also defend multiple positions at the highest level, which helped Indiana reach Game 7 of the NBA Finals last season.

Haliburton is the best facilitator in the NBA, is one of the most clutch players we’ve seen in recent NBA history, and is the face of the franchise. The most “overrated” player in 2025, is a nightmare for the rest of the Eastern Conference, and once he’s fully recovered from his Achilles injury, watch out. 

Tier 3 – The Almost Untouchables

For this tier, you could make the case for a handful of guys, but I am sticking with just two: Andrew Nembhard and Ivica Zubac (aka Drew and Zu). 

Nembhard is the perfect mix of great defense, incredible instincts, amazing secondary play making, and fearlessness. When the lights shine the brightest, Nembhard is the best version of himself, on both ends of the floor. He is the perfect backcourt partner for Tyrese Haliburton and makes the Pacers’ ecosystem work to its’ fullest.

Zubac is the new kid on the block, but the value that Indiana gave up to get him makes him an extremely valuable piece to this team moving forward. His size, strength, durability, IQ and instincts make him invaluable, especially when you look at the Pacers center depth. 

I labeled this tier as “The Almost Untouchables” because I don’t see a world in where they are dealt, but if the perfect deal came to fruition, they can be moved. 

Tier 4 – The Not-So Untouchables 

In this tier, we once again have two players that qualify: Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin. 

Aaron Nesmith is a physical defender, with a high-motor that never stops, and is a terrific catch-and-shoot three-point shooter. His relentlessness makes him hard to keep off the floor, and his big-game performances in the last two seasons showcases how special he is to this Pacers core. 

Obi Toppin is a versatile big that learned how to not only play the four position, but the small-ball five. His elite athleticism, combined with his outside shot making and rim-running abilities gives the Pacers something they don’t have with any of their other bigs. He is a perfect blend for their front court depth. 

These two are in “The Not-So-Untouchable” tier because as valuable as they are to the Pacers and what they do, if Indiana could trade for a better player at their position, it would have to be strongly considered. 

Tier 5 – The “He Means More To Us Than You” Tier

This is a standalone tier for T.J. McConnell.

He’s 34 years old and is one of the best backup point guards in the league. And while age is not on his side, the Pacers value what he brings to the floor and the locker room more than what they could get for him in any trade. 

I expect him to be here with the team at least for this two-year window, because any move that included McConnell in it would come as a complete shock.

Tier 6 – The “Young and Expiring Tier”

Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard come on down. 

The 2023 Draft Class for the Pacers has brought more good than bad to the team, but both players have left you wanting more than what they were drafted to do. 

Walker was seen as a defensive specialist, and has been anything but that, and Sheppard was selected because of his outside shooting, and for the most part of his career, it’s been an underwhelming part of his game. 

The Pacers have to decide if they want to extend either of these two players before they become restricted free agents in the summer of 2027. Their contracts are team friendly right now, but outside of the core, they are the most moveable and largest contracts that make a significant bench upgrade possible. 

Tier 7 – The “injured” Tier

This tier is only here for one player, and that is Johnny Furphy. 

Last season, Furphy skyrocketed into the rotation, and took advantage of the opportunity. Indiana found success with him playing next to Pascal Siakam as the small ball five, thanks to his switch ability on defense and his nonstop cutting on offense. 

After a massive dunk on Toronto, Furphy landed awkwardly and tore his ACL. His timetable is still TBD, but the Pacers like him a lot. His trade value is low right now since he’s recovering from an injury, and his salary is already so low that trading him doesn’t get the Pacers much back in return. 

Tier 8 – The Backup Centers

Jay Huff and Micah Potter have little value on the open market, but each possesses a unique skillset that would be enticing to other teams.

Huff is a legit shot blocker, and Potter proved to be an awesome three-point shooter last season. Their salaries are exceptionally low, which could be enticing for teams if they’re included in a bigger trade, but their trade value alone is no greater than a second-round pick. 

Tier 9 – The Third String Guards

Quenton Jackson and Kam Jones round out the list as the least valuable assets on the team. Jackson and Jones both have partial guarantees on their contract, and Indiana could potentially waive one of them to open up more cap space for a bigger fish. 

The sample size is minimal for Jones, but he’s a smaller combo guard that is being asked to play the one. He transitioned into that role full time with Marquette his senior year, but things were about as bad as they could be for a rookie season. 

Jackson is more of a two guard than a point guard. His quick speed, scoring ability, and defensive potential have helped him go from a two-way player to a standard contract. His trade value is almost nonexistent since he’s an end of bench guard, but he has the ability to pop off in big games from time to time. Great throw-in piece, but his name brings little to no value in a trade discussion. 

Final Thoughts

Indiana has enough future first-round picks, as well as young players and expendable contracts to make an extremely splashy move. 

If they elect to use any of these assets for a smaller move, it could hurt their abilities to make a bigger move later, but the time to win is now. 

Kevin Pritchard, Chad Buchanan, and Ted Wu have assets in place to improve this roster if they deem it’s necessary. 

You can follow me on X @AlexGoldenNBA and listen to my daily podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcasts.

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• The state of Indiana will be well-represented at the NCAA softball Super Regionals this week.
• Catch up with the former Hoosier State standouts who will be competing on the national stage.
• Best-of-3 Super Regionals begin Thursday.

NCAA softball Super Regionals begin Thursday with the winner of these best-of-three series advancing to the Women’s College World Series. Meet the former Indiana high school stars looking to help punch their team’s ticket to Oklahoma City.

More: Who’s in Super Regionals? Updated bracket, schedule for NCAA Softball Tournament

No. 3 Oklahoma

Audrey Lowry, pitcher (Tri-West): Lowry has really come into her own as a sophomore. An All-SEC second team honoree, she is 22-3 (tied 16th nationally for wins) with a 2.61 ERA and 88 strikeouts through 120.2 innings pitched. The lefty is limiting opposing hitters to a .230 average. 

Berkley Zache, pitcher (South Bend St. Joseph): The younger Zache sister has appeared in 13 games as a true freshman, compiling a 1.95 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 14.1 innings pitched. She has allowed only one earned run in her past 12 appearances.

Riley Zache, catcher/infielder (South Bend St. Joseph): The sophomore has yet to appear in a game this season. She was 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored last season. 

No. 6 Florida

Gabi Comia, infielder (Hanover Central): An All-SEC Defensive Team selection at second base, the sophomore has a .979 fielding percentage with only four errors on 193 chances (14 double plays). Comia’s been a factor at the plate, as well, batting a career-best .339 with 59 hits (13 doubles), 47 runs and 24 RBIs. She leads the team with 11 steals and has started in all 61 games she’s appeared in.

Kendall Grover, infielder (Mooresville): The senior Eastern Illinois transfer is among the Gators’ leaders in home runs (11), RBIs (46) and slugging percentage (.564). Grover has also doubled 11 times and maintained a .320 average. She’s been very good in the field, as well, logging a .969 fielding percentage with 30 putouts and 64 assists.

Keagan Rothrock, pitcher (Roncalli): Rothrock has continued her brilliance in the circle. She’s 29-6 with six shutouts, five saves and a 2.42 ERA. She’s racked up 179 strikeouts (25th nationally) and is limiting opposing batters to a .191 average. Rothrock pitched a seven-inning no-hitter vs. South Carolina in April, and she was lights-out in the regional, allowing only two runs on five hits in 15 innings pitched. The Roncalli grad was picked All-SEC first team and is a USA Softball Player of the Year Top-25 finalist.

No. 7 Tennessee

Maddi Rutan, third base/pitcher (Columbus North): Rutan was the ASUN Freshman and Pitcher of the Year with Eastern Kentucky in 2024. She’s been similarly impactful with the Vols, logging 23 hits, including five homers, 19 RBIs and 19 runs scored. She’s 5-for-6 on stolen base attempts and has pitched 16.2 innings, picking up two wins and 12 strikeouts.

Note: Freshman catcher Elsa Morrison grew up in Indiana and played at Carmel High School as a freshman.

No. 10 Georgia

Keirstin Roose, infielder (Lakeland): Roose, an All-SEC honoree, enters Super Regionals batting .350 with 12 doubles, a triple and 15 home runs (.684 slugging). She’s stolen a base, scored 57 runs and driven in 39 RBIs, and boasts a .932 fielding percentage. The 2021 Indiana Miss Softball finalist played her first four collegiate seasons at Coastal Carolina.

No. 11 Texas Tech

Jackie Lis, utility (Castle): One of the greatest players in Castle history, the senior Southern Illinois transfer has been excellent in her first season as a Red Raider, averaging .445. She’s hit 18 home runs, 10 doubles and three triples, and accounted for 66 RBIs (tied 25th nationally) and 49 runs scored. 

No. 12 Duke

Brookelyn Grayson, infielder (Noblesville): Grayson, a true freshman, hit an RBI double against CSU Bakersfield in her lone collegiate at-bat. 

No. 13 Oklahoma State

Melina Wilkison, outfielder (Greensburg): Wilkison made stops at Ohio State and IU before landing with Oklahoma State for her redshirt senior season. She is batting .227 with five hits, seven runs and five RBIs. The Greensburg grad has drawn two walks and is 3-for-4 on stolen base attempts.

No. 16 LSU

Kylee Edwards, infielder (Shelbyville): Edwards was tremendous her two seasons at Mississippi State and she’s been even better at LSU. An All-SEC first team pick, her .349 batting average is a career-high, as are her 60 hits, 43 runs, 10 homers and 40 RBIs. Edwards has only struck out 10 times in 172 at-bats, and holds a .963 fielding percentage with only seven errors on 188 chances. 

Char Lorenz, utility (Munster): Lorenz was an All-ACC pick as a freshman at Louisville. She’s maintained a .266 average in the Bayou with four doubles, six homers, 30 runs and 23 RBIs. Lorenz has three steals and holds a .970 fielding percentage.

Arizona State

Megan Bartlett, head coach (Terre Haute North)

Mississippi State

Paige Ernstes, catcher/infield (New Palestine): Ernstes has started in 32 of the 49 games she’s appeared in and collected 17 hits (three doubles, three homers), six runs and 18 RBIs. She’s logged 175 putouts and seven assists with zero errors in the field. 

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.