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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