There are nights when the magic of the Pacers’ Finals run last summer seems so far in the rearview mirror.

Nights like Wednesday at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, when Indiana gave the night off to nearly all of the players who made that run possible, allowing them to get an extra night to rest injuries on the way into the All-Star break.

But Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan’s second-quarter appearance on the FanDuel Sports Network served as a reminder that Indiana’s front office remains in championship mode, even as the Pacers find themselves in the middle of a lottery fight due to an injury-riddled season.

Buchanan’s appearance underlined the urgency Indiana feels to capitalize on the promise of the past two seasons as Eastern Conference contenders, a status that drove last week’s blockbuster trade for former Clippers center Ivica Zubac.

Indiana sees Zubac as a core piece for a contender

The Pacers gave up a lot to get Zubac: Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson and three draft picks, including the potential to lose their 2026 first-rounder to the Clippers if that pick falls between picks 5-9.

“For us, the starting center position was our biggest hole, and you’re going to have to give up something to fill it,” Buchanan said. “We did give up a lot. Sometimes, in this business, you have to take a risk, and we’re taking a risk adding a new player, but we’re very confident he’s going to be a great fit with us.”

Zubac trade: Are the Pacers better off with Ivica Zubac than Myles Turner?

Indiana lost long-time center Myles Turner to the Bucks in free agency last offseason, leaving the Pacers’ championship core with a significant hole in the middle.

A bruising big man who will alter the center’s role in the Pacers system because of his skill set, Zubac brings positioning, defense and a knack for finishing at the rim.

Most importantly, he fills what Indiana saw as a glaring hole if it wants to be back in the Eastern Conference mix next season.

“We’re excited about Ivica,” Buchanan said. “Losing what we lost with Myles, we felt like that position was something we wanted to address to give this team the best chance to compete at the level we saw them compete at last year.”

Zubac will not make his Pacers debut “for a while” due to a lingering ankle issue.

But Indiana would like to see him on the floor at some point, even though the trade leaves the Pacers with plenty of incentive to stay firmly seated at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

“You’re going to see some chemistry built,” Buchanan said. “Once Big Zu is healthy and back playing, we want to see him get out there with his new teammates in our system.”

Tyrese Haliburton still sets the tone

The biggest reason for Indiana’s swoon this season is that its best player remains on the bench.

Buchanan pointed out Wednesday that the fact Haliburton is on the bench at all is something that should be noted. While taking special care to point out that the Pacers still operate the way they did while pursuing a championship last season, the Indiana general manager credited Haliburton for setting the tone.

“In the NBA, when someone has a season-ending injury, you don’t see them,” Buchanan said. “Tyrese Haliburton’s sitting on the bench every second for us, he’s on every road trip, he’s at every practice. That is what a leader does. His personality, his leadership defines who this team is.”

Pacers feel an urgency to get back to the Finals

The Zubac deal was driven by a desire to maximize the team’s championship window.

While Haliburton is still only 25 years old, Buchanan emphasized that Indiana is aware that the picture in the NBA can change quickly.

“When we looked at our team, when you look back to last year, the run we made, how special this group has shown it can be when you have the full team together. … We owe this group every chance to compete,” Buchanan said. “Because the window, as you know, is not always open for long in the NBA.”