The LA Clippers haven’t chosen within the first spherical of the NBA draft for 2 consecutive years in over a decade. However, forward of the draft lottery Sunday, there’s a likelihood that streak is damaged, due to the Indiana Pacers.
LA traded middle Ivica Zubac to the Pacers on the February commerce deadline, receiving Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks and one second-round decide. A kind of first-rounders is for this yr. It is protected against picks Nos. 1 to 4 and 10 to 30.
Subsequently, if the ping-pong balls bounce to land the Pacers inside picks Nos. 5 to 9, the decide shall be awarded to the Clippers. LA is nicely conscious of what it wants Sunday and hasn’t been shy about expressing its probabilities.
The Pacers marked one week from the lottery with a publish, writing: “Could the percentages be in our favor.” The Clippers acknowledged it by counting down the times themselves.
6 days to go 👀 https://t.co/4LTkqJCvxd
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) May 4, 2026
LA took it a step additional Tuesday. The Clippers replied to a publish from the Pacers on X that broke down Indiana’s odds for decide Nos. 1 to 4, No. 5 and No. 6. The latter two, which might go to LA, equaled 47.9%, one thing the Clippers made certain to level out.
So that you’re saying there is a 47.9% likelihood… https://t.co/10H1jBAdz3
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) May 5, 2026
Indiana has a 14% likelihood of getting the highest general decide, tied with the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets for the very best odds.
If the decide falls to LA, it will likely be its highest choice since having the No. 13 decide in 2018, which it used to take Jerome Robinson. The Clippers’ authentic 2026 first-round decide belongs to the Oklahoma City Thunder due to the Paul George commerce in 2019. LA chosen middle Yanic Konan Niederhauser with its first-round decide final yr.
The Pacers, who completed the season with a 19-63 file, will hope the luck of the draw is of their favor.
