![Inside the NBA Draft Lottery, where the Pacers’ big gamble came up agonizingly short CHICAGO – Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard could hardly sleep the night before the NBA Draft lottery.Who could, in his situation? In a daring trade to acquire Ivica Zubac back in February, the Pacers sent, among other things, their 2026 first-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Clippers. It was protected 1-4 and 10-30, meaning the Clippers could only receive the selection if it landed 5-9. On Sunday, a machine full of ping pong balls would decide which team would be blessed by fate. 52.1% of the time, the answer would be the Pacers. The other 47.9% would benefit L.A.It was basically a coin flip, at least by odds. Maybe that’s too tame. It was closer to Russian Roulette but with a shade under 2.9 bullets; with just a couple of spins in a chamber they didn’t have eyes on to decide their fate.Coin flip odds are more instructive. Heads, the trade looks incredible for the Pacers. They acquire a center that they covet, one who nearly made an All–NBA team in 2024-25. They send out two first-rounders in future seasons with worse lottery odds, plus two players who were fading in their plans. A near-perfect addition. Tails, it looks much worse for them. Add a top-five prospect in a very strong draft to that above trade package, and that’s after Zubac barely suited up thanks to injuries. Worst of all, it would mean the Pacers finished with the second-worst record in the NBA and didn’t get the lotto luck for it. How the deal feels could change over the next five years as assets continue to be exchanged, but the Pacers 2026 first-rounder was the best non-Zubac asset moved in the deal. Who would actually use that pick came down to the lottery.“The truth is, I didn’t sleep much last night. And [Pacers general manager] Chad (Buchanan) and I kind of got away and walked. And we were trying to plan out everything, for the good, for the bad,” Pritchard explained.As the lottery results were being revealed, Pritchard said his heart was beating like Game 7 of the NBA Finals. He would have been a terrible poker player on Sunday – his emotional state was obvious even to onlookers 30 feet away. And truly, as a trio of Pacers involved in the lottery broadcast sat to witness their fate, only one was able to hide their emotions as a Clippers logo was shown to a room filled with hundreds of people. Millions more watched on television.The draft lottery and subsequent unveiling of results were held in Chicago’s Navy Pier. A massive Festival Hall was sectioned off, with about one-fourth of the room converted into a stage and viewing area for the proceedings. Every team involved in the lottery had a table in the front of the room for their executives to sit at – the Pacers’ was in the middle row on the left side between the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets.The only two at the Pacers table were Pritchard and Buchanan. They’ve worked together for years, originally overlapping with the Portland Trail Blazers over two decades ago. Now, they’re the leaders of Indiana’s front office – the other top figure of the group, vice president of basketball operations Ted Wu, was the team’s lottery representative who was in the room for the drawing.So it was just Buchanan and Pritchard, the smallest number of team representatives at any table. The third figure in the room was guard T.J. McConnell, the Pacers’ on-stage lottery representative. He’s the longest-tenured Pacer and was a rookie with the 2015-16 Philadelphia 76ers, a team that went 10-72 before winning the 2016 draft lottery. McConnell wanted to bring that luck to the Pacers.There was a hope emanating from the Pacers about 30 minutes before the big reveal. Pritchard and Buchanan spoke with league figures like any other big NBA event – Pritchard congratulated new Mavericks president Masai Ujiri on his new job. Buchanan caught up with executives on another lottery team. There were smiles, at first. They believed they were due for some luck.“Obviously not good news,” McConnell would be saying about a half hour later.The two executives sat down, still awaiting the results. Something about doing so made reality settle in. For the next eternity – okay, still just 30 minutes – the Pacers front office leaders had to sit there, powerless against their fate, with judgment coming their way regardless of the result. For a few minutes, neither said a word.Pritchard showed the most outward emotion. He chewed gum the entire event. At 1:48 p.m. local time, he put on his glasses. Four minutes later, he took them off to fidget with them on the table. The next minute, he put them on for the second time in five minutes.Buchanan was far more rigid. At 1:51, he adjusted his collar, then was still for several minutes. Next to Pritchard, he looked like a statue. It was the perfect picture of the two and their personalities – and a display of why they’ve worked so well together for all these years as partners in the NBA.At 1:59, Buchanan’s trance ended as he checked his phone. At the same time, Pritchard did the same. He put his phone away four minutes later, then frantically looked around the room before running his hands through his hair. Both executives were looking for something, anything, to distract them at that moment.“I know the Twitterverse is probably going to be a little brutal. And I get it, man, I get it,” Pritchard would say later, fitting for someone whose phone became a key prop for fiddling and posting during the day. ”To those people, I’m sorry.”In came McConnell to provide that diversion. In a sea of suit-wearing lottery representatives, McConnell took the court in a yellow button-up shirt and black pants. He was situated on the same side of the room as the Pacers’ executive table, so he had a clear view of Pritchard and Buchanan.McConnell reached his seat. He gave John Wall – the Washington Wizards lottery representative – a high five before pulling his phone out and putting it on silent. The next moment, he gave a quick glance to the Pacers front office members gathered about 40 feet away from him. They all made eye contact. Suddenly, McConnell’s mood was serious. Nerves returned for everyone.The broadcast began as ESPN’s Malika Andrews began to walk across the front of the room to interview the consensus top-three prospects in the coming draft. AJ Dybantsa was first. Right in the background of the interview, Pritchard could be seen as clear as day. Six minutes later, Andrews was finished and NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum took the stage. He was about to reveal the results.As Tatum pulled the first card out of a folder to reveal which team would be picking 14th, Buchanan put his elbows on the table. It was his first movement in over five minutes. The Pacers had nothing to worry about until the sixth pick, but the start of the process increased the tension.No teams jumped into the top four until the Chicago Bulls, who entered the day with the ninth-best odds to do so. When the Dallas Mavericks were revealed to have the ninth pick, that meant the Bulls jumped into the top four. Pritchard stroked his chin, thinking about how that would impact his team.One minute later, the Memphis Grizzlies also jumped up into the top four. It’s 2:17 now, and both Buchanan and Pritchard are rubbing their chins. They each leaned forward. The team picking sixth was about to be announced. Time for the stressful part.Tatum pulled out the card for the sixth slot. Up came a Brooklyn Nets logo. There was little reaction from Pacers executives. McConnell looked out over the crowd. There was one final reveal to go.Between Tatum saying “Nets” and pulling out the card for the fifth pick, 13 seconds passed. To Pritchard and Buchanan, it felt like 13 days. Tatum began his lines. “The fifth pick in the NBA Draft will be made by…“The LA Clippers,” he said, holding up a Clippers logo. McConnell stared off into space. Buchanan didn’t move. Pritchard took a few seconds before re-adjusting in his chair.The team’s gamble was a loss. The best possible pick they could send to the Clippers is, in fact, going to the Clippers. It took five minutes before Buchanan moved at all, slightly loosening his posture at 2:23. McConnell walked off the stage and chatted briefly with Charlotte Hornets forward and lottery representative Kon Knueppel.There was a commercial break before the top-four picks were announced, but that break in the action did little to change the demeanor of Buchanan, Pritchard, or McConnell. All three looked almost shell-shocked despite knowing the odds entering the event.McConnell’s darting glances after it became reality the pick was going to the Clippers were intentional. Moments earlier, his heart was beating “so fast,” yet there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. LA got the pick, and McConnell couldn’t even look at his front office reps“In a way, I felt like I was letting him down,” McConnell said. “I know there’s no reason to feel that way, but just weirdly do.”Wall’s Wizards were announced as the winners of the lottery a few minutes later. The broadcast ended, then executives and some high-profile draft prospects all chatted at the front of the room. Buchanan and Pritchard stayed near their table area but stood up and joined in on some conversations.The 47.9% chance of losing their pick had actually happened. The odds said that was the most likely outcome for the team, but something about the draft lottery messes with everyone’s brain. It just seems like nothing bad will happen, until it does.Pritchard couldn’t hide his emotions all afternoon. He was so fidgety that it was clear he was nervous in some way. As he began to speak with reporters not long after the event ended, the team president made his mental state even more clear.“We’re all disappointed,” Pritchard said. That was a theme. “Disappointed because this is a great draft,” he added later. As he continued speaking, Pritchard kept making it clear how talented the team thinks Zubac is. But he would also catch himself by repeating that emotion.“What we’ve learned from (Zubac) so far is he’s super smart, and he wants to fit in, and he’s all about winning. And again, disappointed. I’m not trying to smooth over that. We wanted to pick, but we’ll be okay,” Pritchard said. Just over 30 seconds later, a repeat. “Again, I wanted to pick. We wanted to pick, and I know people are going to be disappointed. But you have to remember, our top seven or eight players are still with us. So today it stings. But wait till next season. Let’s give this group an opportunity to go compete for a championship. Because they’ve proven they can do it.”Indeed they have. The Pacers made the NBA Finals in 2025, then upgraded at center from Myles Turner to Zubac. A top-four would have been a perfect addition to round out the team for the next few years.Many Pacers players couldn’t sleep before Game 7 of that series. They were nervous for the big stage. That was identical to Pritchard on Sunday, who had a ton of anticipation and wanted the lottery win for his owner, longtime Pacers governor Herb Simon.“My heart hurts for Mr. Simon, if I’m honest. He’s such a good person and he wants it for Indiana like we all want it. In a way, I feel like I’ve let the organization down,” Pritchard said.He and McConnell shared that emotion. The lottery brings out the hope in everybody. But instead, the Clippers will pick fifth, a painful twist of fate. It’s why Pritchard couldn’t sleep the night before and why the Pacers trade was viewed as risky. This risk didn’t pay off, but the Zubac trade still can. If Pritchard has his way, his next sleepless night will come before an NBA Finals game with Zubac leading his team’s defense. But there could be more tossing and turning in store for him if Zubac isn’t a perfect fit right away or, worse, the fifth pick turns into a star for the Clippers. Time, as with all trades, will tell if Pritchard’s future sleepless nights will be for positive or negative reasons. He’ll just have to hope for better than 52.1% odds of positive outcomes this time. #NBA #Draft #Lottery #Pacers #big #gamble #agonizingly #short](https://i0.wp.com/platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/gettyimages-2275016945.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C7.9361049815462%2C100%2C65.433308178695&w=1200&ssl=1 "Inside the NBA Draft Lottery, where the Pacers’ big gamble came up agonizingly short CHICAGO – Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard could hardly sleep the night before the NBA Draft lottery.Who could, in his situation? In a daring trade to acquire Ivica Zubac back in February, the Pacers sent, among other things, their 2026 first-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Clippers. It was protected 1-4 and 10-30, meaning the Clippers could only receive the selection if it landed 5-9. On Sunday, a machine full of ping pong balls would decide which team would be blessed by fate. 52.1% of the time, the answer would be the Pacers. The other 47.9% would benefit L.A.It was basically a coin flip, at least by odds. Maybe that’s too tame. It was closer to Russian Roulette but with a shade under 2.9 bullets; with just a couple of spins in a chamber they didn’t have eyes on to decide their fate.Coin flip odds are more instructive. Heads, the trade looks incredible for the Pacers. They acquire a center that they covet, one who nearly made an All–NBA team in 2024-25. They send out two first-rounders in future seasons with worse lottery odds, plus two players who were fading in their plans. A near-perfect addition. Tails, it looks much worse for them. Add a top-five prospect in a very strong draft to that above trade package, and that’s after Zubac barely suited up thanks to injuries. Worst of all, it would mean the Pacers finished with the second-worst record in the NBA and didn’t get the lotto luck for it. How the deal feels could change over the next five years as assets continue to be exchanged, but the Pacers 2026 first-rounder was the best non-Zubac asset moved in the deal. Who would actually use that pick came down to the lottery.“The truth is, I didn’t sleep much last night. And [Pacers general manager] Chad (Buchanan) and I kind of got away and walked. And we were trying to plan out everything, for the good, for the bad,” Pritchard explained.As the lottery results were being revealed, Pritchard said his heart was beating like Game 7 of the NBA Finals. He would have been a terrible poker player on Sunday – his emotional state was obvious even to onlookers 30 feet away. And truly, as a trio of Pacers involved in the lottery broadcast sat to witness their fate, only one was able to hide their emotions as a Clippers logo was shown to a room filled with hundreds of people. Millions more watched on television.The draft lottery and subsequent unveiling of results were held in Chicago’s Navy Pier. A massive Festival Hall was sectioned off, with about one-fourth of the room converted into a stage and viewing area for the proceedings. Every team involved in the lottery had a table in the front of the room for their executives to sit at – the Pacers’ was in the middle row on the left side between the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets.The only two at the Pacers table were Pritchard and Buchanan. They’ve worked together for years, originally overlapping with the Portland Trail Blazers over two decades ago. Now, they’re the leaders of Indiana’s front office – the other top figure of the group, vice president of basketball operations Ted Wu, was the team’s lottery representative who was in the room for the drawing.So it was just Buchanan and Pritchard, the smallest number of team representatives at any table. The third figure in the room was guard T.J. McConnell, the Pacers’ on-stage lottery representative. He’s the longest-tenured Pacer and was a rookie with the 2015-16 Philadelphia 76ers, a team that went 10-72 before winning the 2016 draft lottery. McConnell wanted to bring that luck to the Pacers.There was a hope emanating from the Pacers about 30 minutes before the big reveal. Pritchard and Buchanan spoke with league figures like any other big NBA event – Pritchard congratulated new Mavericks president Masai Ujiri on his new job. Buchanan caught up with executives on another lottery team. There were smiles, at first. They believed they were due for some luck.“Obviously not good news,” McConnell would be saying about a half hour later.The two executives sat down, still awaiting the results. Something about doing so made reality settle in. For the next eternity – okay, still just 30 minutes – the Pacers front office leaders had to sit there, powerless against their fate, with judgment coming their way regardless of the result. For a few minutes, neither said a word.Pritchard showed the most outward emotion. He chewed gum the entire event. At 1:48 p.m. local time, he put on his glasses. Four minutes later, he took them off to fidget with them on the table. The next minute, he put them on for the second time in five minutes.Buchanan was far more rigid. At 1:51, he adjusted his collar, then was still for several minutes. Next to Pritchard, he looked like a statue. It was the perfect picture of the two and their personalities – and a display of why they’ve worked so well together for all these years as partners in the NBA.At 1:59, Buchanan’s trance ended as he checked his phone. At the same time, Pritchard did the same. He put his phone away four minutes later, then frantically looked around the room before running his hands through his hair. Both executives were looking for something, anything, to distract them at that moment.“I know the Twitterverse is probably going to be a little brutal. And I get it, man, I get it,” Pritchard would say later, fitting for someone whose phone became a key prop for fiddling and posting during the day. ”To those people, I’m sorry.”In came McConnell to provide that diversion. In a sea of suit-wearing lottery representatives, McConnell took the court in a yellow button-up shirt and black pants. He was situated on the same side of the room as the Pacers’ executive table, so he had a clear view of Pritchard and Buchanan.McConnell reached his seat. He gave John Wall – the Washington Wizards lottery representative – a high five before pulling his phone out and putting it on silent. The next moment, he gave a quick glance to the Pacers front office members gathered about 40 feet away from him. They all made eye contact. Suddenly, McConnell’s mood was serious. Nerves returned for everyone.The broadcast began as ESPN’s Malika Andrews began to walk across the front of the room to interview the consensus top-three prospects in the coming draft. AJ Dybantsa was first. Right in the background of the interview, Pritchard could be seen as clear as day. Six minutes later, Andrews was finished and NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum took the stage. He was about to reveal the results.As Tatum pulled the first card out of a folder to reveal which team would be picking 14th, Buchanan put his elbows on the table. It was his first movement in over five minutes. The Pacers had nothing to worry about until the sixth pick, but the start of the process increased the tension.No teams jumped into the top four until the Chicago Bulls, who entered the day with the ninth-best odds to do so. When the Dallas Mavericks were revealed to have the ninth pick, that meant the Bulls jumped into the top four. Pritchard stroked his chin, thinking about how that would impact his team.One minute later, the Memphis Grizzlies also jumped up into the top four. It’s 2:17 now, and both Buchanan and Pritchard are rubbing their chins. They each leaned forward. The team picking sixth was about to be announced. Time for the stressful part.Tatum pulled out the card for the sixth slot. Up came a Brooklyn Nets logo. There was little reaction from Pacers executives. McConnell looked out over the crowd. There was one final reveal to go.Between Tatum saying “Nets” and pulling out the card for the fifth pick, 13 seconds passed. To Pritchard and Buchanan, it felt like 13 days. Tatum began his lines. “The fifth pick in the NBA Draft will be made by…“The LA Clippers,” he said, holding up a Clippers logo. McConnell stared off into space. Buchanan didn’t move. Pritchard took a few seconds before re-adjusting in his chair.The team’s gamble was a loss. The best possible pick they could send to the Clippers is, in fact, going to the Clippers. It took five minutes before Buchanan moved at all, slightly loosening his posture at 2:23. McConnell walked off the stage and chatted briefly with Charlotte Hornets forward and lottery representative Kon Knueppel.There was a commercial break before the top-four picks were announced, but that break in the action did little to change the demeanor of Buchanan, Pritchard, or McConnell. All three looked almost shell-shocked despite knowing the odds entering the event.McConnell’s darting glances after it became reality the pick was going to the Clippers were intentional. Moments earlier, his heart was beating “so fast,” yet there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. LA got the pick, and McConnell couldn’t even look at his front office reps“In a way, I felt like I was letting him down,” McConnell said. “I know there’s no reason to feel that way, but just weirdly do.”Wall’s Wizards were announced as the winners of the lottery a few minutes later. The broadcast ended, then executives and some high-profile draft prospects all chatted at the front of the room. Buchanan and Pritchard stayed near their table area but stood up and joined in on some conversations.The 47.9% chance of losing their pick had actually happened. The odds said that was the most likely outcome for the team, but something about the draft lottery messes with everyone’s brain. It just seems like nothing bad will happen, until it does.Pritchard couldn’t hide his emotions all afternoon. He was so fidgety that it was clear he was nervous in some way. As he began to speak with reporters not long after the event ended, the team president made his mental state even more clear.“We’re all disappointed,” Pritchard said. That was a theme. “Disappointed because this is a great draft,” he added later. As he continued speaking, Pritchard kept making it clear how talented the team thinks Zubac is. But he would also catch himself by repeating that emotion.“What we’ve learned from (Zubac) so far is he’s super smart, and he wants to fit in, and he’s all about winning. And again, disappointed. I’m not trying to smooth over that. We wanted to pick, but we’ll be okay,” Pritchard said. Just over 30 seconds later, a repeat. “Again, I wanted to pick. We wanted to pick, and I know people are going to be disappointed. But you have to remember, our top seven or eight players are still with us. So today it stings. But wait till next season. Let’s give this group an opportunity to go compete for a championship. Because they’ve proven they can do it.”Indeed they have. The Pacers made the NBA Finals in 2025, then upgraded at center from Myles Turner to Zubac. A top-four would have been a perfect addition to round out the team for the next few years.Many Pacers players couldn’t sleep before Game 7 of that series. They were nervous for the big stage. That was identical to Pritchard on Sunday, who had a ton of anticipation and wanted the lottery win for his owner, longtime Pacers governor Herb Simon.“My heart hurts for Mr. Simon, if I’m honest. He’s such a good person and he wants it for Indiana like we all want it. In a way, I feel like I’ve let the organization down,” Pritchard said.He and McConnell shared that emotion. The lottery brings out the hope in everybody. But instead, the Clippers will pick fifth, a painful twist of fate. It’s why Pritchard couldn’t sleep the night before and why the Pacers trade was viewed as risky. This risk didn’t pay off, but the Zubac trade still can. If Pritchard has his way, his next sleepless night will come before an NBA Finals game with Zubac leading his team’s defense. But there could be more tossing and turning in store for him if Zubac isn’t a perfect fit right away or, worse, the fifth pick turns into a star for the Clippers. Time, as with all trades, will tell if Pritchard’s future sleepless nights will be for positive or negative reasons. He’ll just have to hope for better than 52.1% odds of positive outcomes this time. #NBA #Draft #Lottery #Pacers #big #gamble #agonizingly #short")
Inside the NBA Draft Lottery, where the Pacers’ big gamble came up agonizingly short CHICAGO – Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard could hardly sleep the night before the NBA Draft lottery.
Who could, in his situation? In a daring trade to acquire Ivica Zubac back in February, the Pacers sent, among other things, their 2026 first-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Clippers. It was protected 1-4 and 10-30, meaning the Clippers could only receive the selection if it landed 5-9. On Sunday, a machine full of ping pong balls would decide which team would be blessed by fate. 52.1% of the time, the answer would be the Pacers. The other 47.9% would benefit L.A.
It was basically a coin flip, at least by odds. Maybe that’s too tame. It was closer to Russian Roulette but with a shade under 2.9 bullets; with just a couple of spins in a chamber they didn’t have eyes on to decide their fate.
Coin flip odds are more instructive. Heads, the trade looks incredible for the Pacers. They acquire a center that they covet, one who nearly made an All–NBA team in 2024-25. They send out two first-rounders in future seasons with worse lottery odds, plus two players who were fading in their plans. A near-perfect addition. Tails, it looks much worse for them. Add a top-five prospect in a very strong draft to that above trade package, and that’s after Zubac barely suited up thanks to injuries. Worst of all, it would mean the Pacers finished with the second-worst record in the NBA and didn’t get the lotto luck for it. How the deal feels could change over the next five years as assets continue to be exchanged, but the Pacers 2026 first-rounder was the best non-Zubac asset moved in the deal. Who would actually use that pick came down to the lottery.
“The truth is, I didn’t sleep much last night. And [Pacers general manager] Chad (Buchanan) and I kind of got away and walked. And we were trying to plan out everything, for the good, for the bad,” Pritchard explained.
As the lottery results were being revealed, Pritchard said his heart was beating like Game 7 of the NBA Finals. He would have been a terrible poker player on Sunday – his emotional state was obvious even to onlookers 30 feet away. And truly, as a trio of Pacers involved in the lottery broadcast sat to witness their fate, only one was able to hide their emotions as a Clippers logo was shown to a room filled with hundreds of people. Millions more watched on television.
The draft lottery and subsequent unveiling of results were held in Chicago’s Navy Pier. A massive Festival Hall was sectioned off, with about one-fourth of the room converted into a stage and viewing area for the proceedings. Every team involved in the lottery had a table in the front of the room for their executives to sit at – the Pacers’ was in the middle row on the left side between the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets.
The only two at the Pacers table were Pritchard and Buchanan. They’ve worked together for years, originally overlapping with the Portland Trail Blazers over two decades ago. Now, they’re the leaders of Indiana’s front office – the other top figure of the group, vice president of basketball operations Ted Wu, was the team’s lottery representative who was in the room for the drawing.
So it was just Buchanan and Pritchard, the smallest number of team representatives at any table. The third figure in the room was guard T.J. McConnell, the Pacers’ on-stage lottery representative. He’s the longest-tenured Pacer and was a rookie with the 2015-16 Philadelphia 76ers, a team that went 10-72 before winning the 2016 draft lottery. McConnell wanted to bring that luck to the Pacers.
There was a hope emanating from the Pacers about 30 minutes before the big reveal. Pritchard and Buchanan spoke with league figures like any other big NBA event – Pritchard congratulated new Mavericks president Masai Ujiri on his new job. Buchanan caught up with executives on another lottery team. There were smiles, at first. They believed they were due for some luck.
“Obviously not good news,” McConnell would be saying about a half hour later.
The two executives sat down, still awaiting the results. Something about doing so made reality settle in. For the next eternity – okay, still just 30 minutes – the Pacers front office leaders had to sit there, powerless against their fate, with judgment coming their way regardless of the result. For a few minutes, neither said a word.
Pritchard showed the most outward emotion. He chewed gum the entire event. At 1:48 p.m. local time, he put on his glasses. Four minutes later, he took them off to fidget with them on the table. The next minute, he put them on for the second time in five minutes.
Buchanan was far more rigid. At 1:51, he adjusted his collar, then was still for several minutes. Next to Pritchard, he looked like a statue. It was the perfect picture of the two and their personalities – and a display of why they’ve worked so well together for all these years as partners in the NBA.
At 1:59, Buchanan’s trance ended as he checked his phone. At the same time, Pritchard did the same. He put his phone away four minutes later, then frantically looked around the room before running his hands through his hair. Both executives were looking for something, anything, to distract them at that moment.
“I know the Twitterverse is probably going to be a little brutal. And I get it, man, I get it,” Pritchard would say later, fitting for someone whose phone became a key prop for fiddling and posting during the day. ”To those people, I’m sorry.”
In came McConnell to provide that diversion. In a sea of suit-wearing lottery representatives, McConnell took the court in a yellow button-up shirt and black pants. He was situated on the same side of the room as the Pacers’ executive table, so he had a clear view of Pritchard and Buchanan.
McConnell reached his seat. He gave John Wall – the Washington Wizards lottery representative – a high five before pulling his phone out and putting it on silent. The next moment, he gave a quick glance to the Pacers front office members gathered about 40 feet away from him. They all made eye contact. Suddenly, McConnell’s mood was serious. Nerves returned for everyone.
The broadcast began as ESPN’s Malika Andrews began to walk across the front of the room to interview the consensus top-three prospects in the coming draft. AJ Dybantsa was first. Right in the background of the interview, Pritchard could be seen as clear as day. Six minutes later, Andrews was finished and NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum took the stage. He was about to reveal the results.
As Tatum pulled the first card out of a folder to reveal which team would be picking 14th, Buchanan put his elbows on the table. It was his first movement in over five minutes. The Pacers had nothing to worry about until the sixth pick, but the start of the process increased the tension.
No teams jumped into the top four until the Chicago Bulls, who entered the day with the ninth-best odds to do so. When the Dallas Mavericks were revealed to have the ninth pick, that meant the Bulls jumped into the top four. Pritchard stroked his chin, thinking about how that would impact his team.
One minute later, the Memphis Grizzlies also jumped up into the top four. It’s 2:17 now, and both Buchanan and Pritchard are rubbing their chins. They each leaned forward. The team picking sixth was about to be announced. Time for the stressful part.
Tatum pulled out the card for the sixth slot. Up came a Brooklyn Nets logo. There was little reaction from Pacers executives. McConnell looked out over the crowd. There was one final reveal to go.
Between Tatum saying “Nets” and pulling out the card for the fifth pick, 13 seconds passed. To Pritchard and Buchanan, it felt like 13 days. Tatum began his lines. “The fifth pick in the NBA Draft will be made by…
“The LA Clippers,” he said, holding up a Clippers logo. McConnell stared off into space. Buchanan didn’t move. Pritchard took a few seconds before re-adjusting in his chair.
The team’s gamble was a loss. The best possible pick they could send to the Clippers is, in fact, going to the Clippers. It took five minutes before Buchanan moved at all, slightly loosening his posture at 2:23. McConnell walked off the stage and chatted briefly with Charlotte Hornets forward and lottery representative Kon Knueppel.
There was a commercial break before the top-four picks were announced, but that break in the action did little to change the demeanor of Buchanan, Pritchard, or McConnell. All three looked almost shell-shocked despite knowing the odds entering the event.
McConnell’s darting glances after it became reality the pick was going to the Clippers were intentional. Moments earlier, his heart was beating “so fast,” yet there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. LA got the pick, and McConnell couldn’t even look at his front office reps
“In a way, I felt like I was letting him down,” McConnell said. “I know there’s no reason to feel that way, but just weirdly do.”
Wall’s Wizards were announced as the winners of the lottery a few minutes later. The broadcast ended, then executives and some high-profile draft prospects all chatted at the front of the room. Buchanan and Pritchard stayed near their table area but stood up and joined in on some conversations.
The 47.9% chance of losing their pick had actually happened. The odds said that was the most likely outcome for the team, but something about the draft lottery messes with everyone’s brain. It just seems like nothing bad will happen, until it does.
Pritchard couldn’t hide his emotions all afternoon. He was so fidgety that it was clear he was nervous in some way. As he began to speak with reporters not long after the event ended, the team president made his mental state even more clear.
“We’re all disappointed,” Pritchard said. That was a theme. “Disappointed because this is a great draft,” he added later. As he continued speaking, Pritchard kept making it clear how talented the team thinks Zubac is. But he would also catch himself by repeating that emotion.
“What we’ve learned from (Zubac) so far is he’s super smart, and he wants to fit in, and he’s all about winning. And again, disappointed. I’m not trying to smooth over that. We wanted to pick, but we’ll be okay,” Pritchard said. Just over 30 seconds later, a repeat. “Again, I wanted to pick. We wanted to pick, and I know people are going to be disappointed. But you have to remember, our top seven or eight players are still with us. So today it stings. But wait till next season. Let’s give this group an opportunity to go compete for a championship. Because they’ve proven they can do it.”
Indeed they have. The Pacers made the NBA Finals in 2025, then upgraded at center from Myles Turner to Zubac. A top-four would have been a perfect addition to round out the team for the next few years.
Many Pacers players couldn’t sleep before Game 7 of that series. They were nervous for the big stage. That was identical to Pritchard on Sunday, who had a ton of anticipation and wanted the lottery win for his owner, longtime Pacers governor Herb Simon.
“My heart hurts for Mr. Simon, if I’m honest. He’s such a good person and he wants it for Indiana like we all want it. In a way, I feel like I’ve let the organization down,” Pritchard said.
He and McConnell shared that emotion. The lottery brings out the hope in everybody. But instead, the Clippers will pick fifth, a painful twist of fate. It’s why Pritchard couldn’t sleep the night before and why the Pacers trade was viewed as risky. This risk didn’t pay off, but the Zubac trade still can. If Pritchard has his way, his next sleepless night will come before an NBA Finals game with Zubac leading his team’s defense. But there could be more tossing and turning in store for him if Zubac isn’t a perfect fit right away or, worse, the fifth pick turns into a star for the Clippers. Time, as with all trades, will tell if Pritchard’s future sleepless nights will be for positive or negative reasons. He’ll just have to hope for better than 52.1% odds of positive outcomes this time.
#NBA #Draft #Lottery #Pacers #big #gamble #agonizingly #short
CHICAGO – Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard could hardly sleep the night before the NBA Draft lottery.
Who could, in his situation? In a daring trade to acquire Ivica Zubac back in February, the Pacers sent, among other things, their 2026 first-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Clippers. It was protected 1-4 and 10-30, meaning the Clippers could only receive the selection if it landed 5-9. On Sunday, a machine full of ping pong balls would decide which team would be blessed by fate. 52.1% of the time, the answer would be the Pacers. The other 47.9% would benefit L.A.
It was basically a coin flip, at least by odds. Maybe that’s too tame. It was closer to Russian Roulette but with a shade under 2.9 bullets; with just a couple of spins in a chamber they didn’t have eyes on to decide their fate.
Coin flip odds are more instructive. Heads, the trade looks incredible for the Pacers. They acquire a center that they covet, one who nearly made an All–NBA team in 2024-25. They send out two first-rounders in future seasons with worse lottery odds, plus two players who were fading in their plans. A near-perfect addition. Tails, it looks much worse for them. Add a top-five prospect in a very strong draft to that above trade package, and that’s after Zubac barely suited up thanks to injuries. Worst of all, it would mean the Pacers finished with the second-worst record in the NBA and didn’t get the lotto luck for it. How the deal feels could change over the next five years as assets continue to be exchanged, but the Pacers 2026 first-rounder was the best non-Zubac asset moved in the deal. Who would actually use that pick came down to the lottery.
“The truth is, I didn’t sleep much last night. And [Pacers general manager] Chad (Buchanan) and I kind of got away and walked. And we were trying to plan out everything, for the good, for the bad,” Pritchard explained.
As the lottery results were being revealed, Pritchard said his heart was beating like Game 7 of the NBA Finals. He would have been a terrible poker player on Sunday – his emotional state was obvious even to onlookers 30 feet away. And truly, as a trio of Pacers involved in the lottery broadcast sat to witness their fate, only one was able to hide their emotions as a Clippers logo was shown to a room filled with hundreds of people. Millions more watched on television.
The draft lottery and subsequent unveiling of results were held in Chicago’s Navy Pier. A massive Festival Hall was sectioned off, with about one-fourth of the room converted into a stage and viewing area for the proceedings. Every team involved in the lottery had a table in the front of the room for their executives to sit at – the Pacers’ was in the middle row on the left side between the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets.
The only two at the Pacers table were Pritchard and Buchanan. They’ve worked together for years, originally overlapping with the Portland Trail Blazers over two decades ago. Now, they’re the leaders of Indiana’s front office – the other top figure of the group, vice president of basketball operations Ted Wu, was the team’s lottery representative who was in the room for the drawing.
So it was just Buchanan and Pritchard, the smallest number of team representatives at any table. The third figure in the room was guard T.J. McConnell, the Pacers’ on-stage lottery representative. He’s the longest-tenured Pacer and was a rookie with the 2015-16 Philadelphia 76ers, a team that went 10-72 before winning the 2016 draft lottery. McConnell wanted to bring that luck to the Pacers.
There was a hope emanating from the Pacers about 30 minutes before the big reveal. Pritchard and Buchanan spoke with league figures like any other big NBA event – Pritchard congratulated new Mavericks president Masai Ujiri on his new job. Buchanan caught up with executives on another lottery team. There were smiles, at first. They believed they were due for some luck.
“Obviously not good news,” McConnell would be saying about a half hour later.
The two executives sat down, still awaiting the results. Something about doing so made reality settle in. For the next eternity – okay, still just 30 minutes – the Pacers front office leaders had to sit there, powerless against their fate, with judgment coming their way regardless of the result. For a few minutes, neither said a word.
Pritchard showed the most outward emotion. He chewed gum the entire event. At 1:48 p.m. local time, he put on his glasses. Four minutes later, he took them off to fidget with them on the table. The next minute, he put them on for the second time in five minutes.
Buchanan was far more rigid. At 1:51, he adjusted his collar, then was still for several minutes. Next to Pritchard, he looked like a statue. It was the perfect picture of the two and their personalities – and a display of why they’ve worked so well together for all these years as partners in the NBA.
At 1:59, Buchanan’s trance ended as he checked his phone. At the same time, Pritchard did the same. He put his phone away four minutes later, then frantically looked around the room before running his hands through his hair. Both executives were looking for something, anything, to distract them at that moment.
“I know the Twitterverse is probably going to be a little brutal. And I get it, man, I get it,” Pritchard would say later, fitting for someone whose phone became a key prop for fiddling and posting during the day. ”To those people, I’m sorry.”
In came McConnell to provide that diversion. In a sea of suit-wearing lottery representatives, McConnell took the court in a yellow button-up shirt and black pants. He was situated on the same side of the room as the Pacers’ executive table, so he had a clear view of Pritchard and Buchanan.
McConnell reached his seat. He gave John Wall – the Washington Wizards lottery representative – a high five before pulling his phone out and putting it on silent. The next moment, he gave a quick glance to the Pacers front office members gathered about 40 feet away from him. They all made eye contact. Suddenly, McConnell’s mood was serious. Nerves returned for everyone.
The broadcast began as ESPN’s Malika Andrews began to walk across the front of the room to interview the consensus top-three prospects in the coming draft. AJ Dybantsa was first. Right in the background of the interview, Pritchard could be seen as clear as day. Six minutes later, Andrews was finished and NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum took the stage. He was about to reveal the results.
As Tatum pulled the first card out of a folder to reveal which team would be picking 14th, Buchanan put his elbows on the table. It was his first movement in over five minutes. The Pacers had nothing to worry about until the sixth pick, but the start of the process increased the tension.
No teams jumped into the top four until the Chicago Bulls, who entered the day with the ninth-best odds to do so. When the Dallas Mavericks were revealed to have the ninth pick, that meant the Bulls jumped into the top four. Pritchard stroked his chin, thinking about how that would impact his team.
One minute later, the Memphis Grizzlies also jumped up into the top four. It’s 2:17 now, and both Buchanan and Pritchard are rubbing their chins. They each leaned forward. The team picking sixth was about to be announced. Time for the stressful part.
Tatum pulled out the card for the sixth slot. Up came a Brooklyn Nets logo. There was little reaction from Pacers executives. McConnell looked out over the crowd. There was one final reveal to go.
Between Tatum saying “Nets” and pulling out the card for the fifth pick, 13 seconds passed. To Pritchard and Buchanan, it felt like 13 days. Tatum began his lines. “The fifth pick in the NBA Draft will be made by…
“The LA Clippers,” he said, holding up a Clippers logo. McConnell stared off into space. Buchanan didn’t move. Pritchard took a few seconds before re-adjusting in his chair.
The team’s gamble was a loss. The best possible pick they could send to the Clippers is, in fact, going to the Clippers. It took five minutes before Buchanan moved at all, slightly loosening his posture at 2:23. McConnell walked off the stage and chatted briefly with Charlotte Hornets forward and lottery representative Kon Knueppel.
There was a commercial break before the top-four picks were announced, but that break in the action did little to change the demeanor of Buchanan, Pritchard, or McConnell. All three looked almost shell-shocked despite knowing the odds entering the event.
McConnell’s darting glances after it became reality the pick was going to the Clippers were intentional. Moments earlier, his heart was beating “so fast,” yet there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. LA got the pick, and McConnell couldn’t even look at his front office reps
“In a way, I felt like I was letting him down,” McConnell said. “I know there’s no reason to feel that way, but just weirdly do.”
Wall’s Wizards were announced as the winners of the lottery a few minutes later. The broadcast ended, then executives and some high-profile draft prospects all chatted at the front of the room. Buchanan and Pritchard stayed near their table area but stood up and joined in on some conversations.
The 47.9% chance of losing their pick had actually happened. The odds said that was the most likely outcome for the team, but something about the draft lottery messes with everyone’s brain. It just seems like nothing bad will happen, until it does.
Pritchard couldn’t hide his emotions all afternoon. He was so fidgety that it was clear he was nervous in some way. As he began to speak with reporters not long after the event ended, the team president made his mental state even more clear.
“We’re all disappointed,” Pritchard said. That was a theme. “Disappointed because this is a great draft,” he added later. As he continued speaking, Pritchard kept making it clear how talented the team thinks Zubac is. But he would also catch himself by repeating that emotion.
“What we’ve learned from (Zubac) so far is he’s super smart, and he wants to fit in, and he’s all about winning. And again, disappointed. I’m not trying to smooth over that. We wanted to pick, but we’ll be okay,” Pritchard said. Just over 30 seconds later, a repeat. “Again, I wanted to pick. We wanted to pick, and I know people are going to be disappointed. But you have to remember, our top seven or eight players are still with us. So today it stings. But wait till next season. Let’s give this group an opportunity to go compete for a championship. Because they’ve proven they can do it.”
Indeed they have. The Pacers made the NBA Finals in 2025, then upgraded at center from Myles Turner to Zubac. A top-four would have been a perfect addition to round out the team for the next few years.
Many Pacers players couldn’t sleep before Game 7 of that series. They were nervous for the big stage. That was identical to Pritchard on Sunday, who had a ton of anticipation and wanted the lottery win for his owner, longtime Pacers governor Herb Simon.
“My heart hurts for Mr. Simon, if I’m honest. He’s such a good person and he wants it for Indiana like we all want it. In a way, I feel like I’ve let the organization down,” Pritchard said.
He and McConnell shared that emotion. The lottery brings out the hope in everybody. But instead, the Clippers will pick fifth, a painful twist of fate. It’s why Pritchard couldn’t sleep the night before and why the Pacers trade was viewed as risky. This risk didn’t pay off, but the Zubac trade still can. If Pritchard has his way, his next sleepless night will come before an NBA Finals game with Zubac leading his team’s defense. But there could be more tossing and turning in store for him if Zubac isn’t a perfect fit right away or, worse, the fifth pick turns into a star for the Clippers. Time, as with all trades, will tell if Pritchard’s future sleepless nights will be for positive or negative reasons. He’ll just have to hope for better than 52.1% odds of positive outcomes this time.
![MLB trade deadline: Latest rumors on Tarik Skubal, Hunter Greene, and more If you believe Jeff Passan, today is the day we will start seeing trades ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline, which arrives Monday.So let’s spin around the rumors again.The latest on Tarik SkubalWednesday afternoon, Tarik Skubal exited the Detroit Tigers’ game against the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the seventh, having given up a two-run single. He left to a standing ovation from the Detroit faithful, who were wondering like the rest of us whether it was his last outing for the Tigers. He exited having handed the Detroit bullpen a 7-1 lead with two outs and a pair of runners aboard.What happened after that is, according to one MLB executive, the final “sign” that the Tigers need to move their ace at the deadline.Baltimore scored four more runs in the inning, and went on to win 10-9 in extras. Despite recording his 1,000th strikeout in the performance, Skubal received a no-decision for his efforts.“If there was ever a sign that the Tigers should trade Skubal, that was it. The offers should start flowing in any minute,” said one NL executive to MLB insider Mark Feinsand.Feinsand was not the only one reporting that a deal would be happening. ESPN’s Jeff Passan declared Skubal “will be traded” in his MLB Trade Deadline preview as well.So what teams could be making a move for the ace? As we outlined yesterday the Milwaukee Brewers are among the suitors, and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported that the Chicago Cubs are expected to make a run at the left-hander. But according to Passan, when it comes to potential suitors they are “all almost resigned to the idea that the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to get Tarik Skubal.”A potential reason for that? The lingering health issues for Shohei Ohtani. With the superstar dealing with left knee and right bicep issues, it has put his time on the bump on hold. His last start came on July 3, and manager Dave Roberts indicated earlier this week that his throwing program is on hold. “Trying to mitigate that, we stopped the throwing, stopped the bullpens — hopefully, No. 1, take care of the knee and then not have him try to create velocity with the arm that’s not 100%,” Roberts said.With Ohtani on the shelf — as a pitcher — that could mean a big push for Skubal from the Dodgers.If you’re looking for a sleeper team in the Skubal sweepstakes, keep an eye on Tampa Bay. The Rays saw left-hander Shane McClanahan leave his start on Thursday with “back tightness,” and while it is not considered a “long-term” issue, there is an opening for Tampa Bay. As one MLB source told MLB.com, “[t]he Brewers, Rays and Dodgers have the most high-end prospects to move. It would be somewhat surprising if he didn’t wind up with one of those three teams.”Hunter Greene on the marketWhile Skubal will command the headlines, another top arm could be on the move.According to MLB.com, there is a “50-50” chance that the Cincinnati Reds move flame-thrower Hunter Greene ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline. Greene missed the first half of the season following surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow, as he put off the surgery last season and threw through the discomfort, option for an injection rather than surgery.He ultimately went under the knife in the spring, costing him the start to 2026. Since returning he has gone 2-2 with a 7.06 ERA in four starts this season.But this is a former All-Star, who is under club control for the next few seasons. He signed a six-year extension with Cincinnati in 2023, and is controlled through 2028. Greene is owed $15 million in 2027, $16 million in 2028, and has a $21 million club option for 2029, and his contract comes with a $2 million buyout.His health is probably the biggest concern, as he has missed time beyond the recent surgery. Tommy John surgery in 2018 cost him the entire 2019 Minor League campaign, and he has lost time due to shoulder and lower-body issues.“Health,” said one MLB executive to MLB.com about the concern. “He falls into the high quality and moderate-to-low quantity category.”Still, during his 2024 All-Star campaign, he went 9-5 with a 2.75 ERA, earning Cy Young votes. Teams that miss on Skubal could be enticed to bet on that talent — at that low cost — for the next few years.Our friends at Battery Power are taking about Greene as well:Trade Deadline Discussion ThreadWe had a lot of good conversation yesterday. Perhaps we put all of our trade deadline chatter and thoughts here and get this post pinned through the deadline Monday. Today I want to talk about someone that I don’t think we have discussed which is Hunter Greene. His name has been out there the last few days and while I’m still not convinced that the Reds will move him, I’m curious to what you guys think. I’m in the camp of being reluctant to part with the prospects it would take to get Tarik Skubal, who would essentially be a 2 month + postseason rental. Greene on the other hand is 27 and is signed through 2028 with an option for 2029. Would you be willing to give up the prospects for Greene? Let me know below and lets use this to discuss other potential deals that we might see over the next three days. Rec 1CommentsThin Stroke Comment Icon BubbleReplyRead 53 repliesYankees calling on catchersAs we noted yesterday, the New York Yankees are one of several teams looking for help behind the plate at the MLB Trade Deadline.According to longtime MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Yankees have inquired with the Baltimore Orioles about Adley Rutschman, but from the outside looking in it would seem unlikely that Mike Elias would move the catcher within the division:However, Passan reported on his podcast earlier this week that the Orioles are at least “open” to moving players such as Rutschman. Open is one thing, but making a deal … and one to the Yankees … is another.Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman is another option generating buzz, given last year’s slash line of .278/.323/.520, but the fact that he has three arbitration years coming up before he becomes a free agent in 2030 has pushed the asking price up.Could Mason Miller be moved?With the Los Angeles Dodgers running away with things in the NL West, the San Diego Padres sit in third place, 14 games back in the division.But at one game over .500, the Padres are just two games out in the NL Wild Card chase, so moving a key player ahead of hte deadline does not seem likely.Until you remember general manager A.J. Preller is involvedAfter swinging last year’s biggest move, the deal with the Athletics for closer Mason Miller, could Preller really turn around and trade him at the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline? According to Passan it is at least possible, but Preller has been telling teams that no prospect can be listed as off limits in such a deal.With the New York Mets mired at the bottom of the NL standings, they are expected to move some players ahead of the deadline.One of them could be right-hander Clay Holmes.Holmes has not pitched in the majors since mid-May, when he suffered a broken right fibula, but was 4-4 in his nine starts with a 2.39 ERA and WHIP of 1.101. He pitched four scoreless innings for Low-A St. Lucia earlier this week, a game that was attended by scouts from several teams including the Yankees, White Sox, Phillies, Rays, Rangers, Dodgers, according to The Athletic.He is set to hit free agency at the end of the season, but is still expected to have a “strong” market. One AL executive told FanSided that “[i]t would be a surprise if he didn’t [get traded].” #MLB #trade #deadline #Latest #rumors #Tarik #Skubal #Hunter #Greene](https://i1.wp.com/cdn.vox-cdn.com/profile_images/7002597/Braveshat..jpg?ssl=1 "MLB trade deadline: Latest rumors on Tarik Skubal, Hunter Greene, and more If you believe Jeff Passan, today is the day we will start seeing trades ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline, which arrives Monday.So let’s spin around the rumors again.The latest on Tarik SkubalWednesday afternoon, Tarik Skubal exited the Detroit Tigers’ game against the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the seventh, having given up a two-run single. He left to a standing ovation from the Detroit faithful, who were wondering like the rest of us whether it was his last outing for the Tigers. He exited having handed the Detroit bullpen a 7-1 lead with two outs and a pair of runners aboard.What happened after that is, according to one MLB executive, the final “sign” that the Tigers need to move their ace at the deadline.Baltimore scored four more runs in the inning, and went on to win 10-9 in extras. Despite recording his 1,000th strikeout in the performance, Skubal received a no-decision for his efforts.“If there was ever a sign that the Tigers should trade Skubal, that was it. The offers should start flowing in any minute,” said one NL executive to MLB insider Mark Feinsand.Feinsand was not the only one reporting that a deal would be happening. ESPN’s Jeff Passan declared Skubal “will be traded” in his MLB Trade Deadline preview as well.So what teams could be making a move for the ace? As we outlined yesterday the Milwaukee Brewers are among the suitors, and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported that the Chicago Cubs are expected to make a run at the left-hander. But according to Passan, when it comes to potential suitors they are “all almost resigned to the idea that the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to get Tarik Skubal.”A potential reason for that? The lingering health issues for Shohei Ohtani. With the superstar dealing with left knee and right bicep issues, it has put his time on the bump on hold. His last start came on July 3, and manager Dave Roberts indicated earlier this week that his throwing program is on hold. “Trying to mitigate that, we stopped the throwing, stopped the bullpens — hopefully, No. 1, take care of the knee and then not have him try to create velocity with the arm that’s not 100%,” Roberts said.With Ohtani on the shelf — as a pitcher — that could mean a big push for Skubal from the Dodgers.If you’re looking for a sleeper team in the Skubal sweepstakes, keep an eye on Tampa Bay. The Rays saw left-hander Shane McClanahan leave his start on Thursday with “back tightness,” and while it is not considered a “long-term” issue, there is an opening for Tampa Bay. As one MLB source told MLB.com, “[t]he Brewers, Rays and Dodgers have the most high-end prospects to move. It would be somewhat surprising if he didn’t wind up with one of those three teams.”Hunter Greene on the marketWhile Skubal will command the headlines, another top arm could be on the move.According to MLB.com, there is a “50-50” chance that the Cincinnati Reds move flame-thrower Hunter Greene ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline. Greene missed the first half of the season following surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow, as he put off the surgery last season and threw through the discomfort, option for an injection rather than surgery.He ultimately went under the knife in the spring, costing him the start to 2026. Since returning he has gone 2-2 with a 7.06 ERA in four starts this season.But this is a former All-Star, who is under club control for the next few seasons. He signed a six-year extension with Cincinnati in 2023, and is controlled through 2028. Greene is owed $15 million in 2027, $16 million in 2028, and has a $21 million club option for 2029, and his contract comes with a $2 million buyout.His health is probably the biggest concern, as he has missed time beyond the recent surgery. Tommy John surgery in 2018 cost him the entire 2019 Minor League campaign, and he has lost time due to shoulder and lower-body issues.“Health,” said one MLB executive to MLB.com about the concern. “He falls into the high quality and moderate-to-low quantity category.”Still, during his 2024 All-Star campaign, he went 9-5 with a 2.75 ERA, earning Cy Young votes. Teams that miss on Skubal could be enticed to bet on that talent — at that low cost — for the next few years.Our friends at Battery Power are taking about Greene as well:Trade Deadline Discussion ThreadWe had a lot of good conversation yesterday. Perhaps we put all of our trade deadline chatter and thoughts here and get this post pinned through the deadline Monday. Today I want to talk about someone that I don’t think we have discussed which is Hunter Greene. His name has been out there the last few days and while I’m still not convinced that the Reds will move him, I’m curious to what you guys think. I’m in the camp of being reluctant to part with the prospects it would take to get Tarik Skubal, who would essentially be a 2 month + postseason rental. Greene on the other hand is 27 and is signed through 2028 with an option for 2029. Would you be willing to give up the prospects for Greene? Let me know below and lets use this to discuss other potential deals that we might see over the next three days. Rec 1CommentsThin Stroke Comment Icon BubbleReplyRead 53 repliesYankees calling on catchersAs we noted yesterday, the New York Yankees are one of several teams looking for help behind the plate at the MLB Trade Deadline.According to longtime MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Yankees have inquired with the Baltimore Orioles about Adley Rutschman, but from the outside looking in it would seem unlikely that Mike Elias would move the catcher within the division:However, Passan reported on his podcast earlier this week that the Orioles are at least “open” to moving players such as Rutschman. Open is one thing, but making a deal … and one to the Yankees … is another.Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman is another option generating buzz, given last year’s slash line of .278/.323/.520, but the fact that he has three arbitration years coming up before he becomes a free agent in 2030 has pushed the asking price up.Could Mason Miller be moved?With the Los Angeles Dodgers running away with things in the NL West, the San Diego Padres sit in third place, 14 games back in the division.But at one game over .500, the Padres are just two games out in the NL Wild Card chase, so moving a key player ahead of hte deadline does not seem likely.Until you remember general manager A.J. Preller is involvedAfter swinging last year’s biggest move, the deal with the Athletics for closer Mason Miller, could Preller really turn around and trade him at the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline? According to Passan it is at least possible, but Preller has been telling teams that no prospect can be listed as off limits in such a deal.With the New York Mets mired at the bottom of the NL standings, they are expected to move some players ahead of the deadline.One of them could be right-hander Clay Holmes.Holmes has not pitched in the majors since mid-May, when he suffered a broken right fibula, but was 4-4 in his nine starts with a 2.39 ERA and WHIP of 1.101. He pitched four scoreless innings for Low-A St. Lucia earlier this week, a game that was attended by scouts from several teams including the Yankees, White Sox, Phillies, Rays, Rangers, Dodgers, according to The Athletic.He is set to hit free agency at the end of the season, but is still expected to have a “strong” market. One AL executive told FanSided that “[i]t would be a surprise if he didn’t [get traded].” #MLB #trade #deadline #Latest #rumors #Tarik #Skubal #Hunter #Greene")
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