Trade while you're still playing the finals! The Pacers and Pelicans complete a 2-for-1 exchange for a 2026 first-round pick

On June 18, Beijing time, the Pacers, who are still playing in the Finals, completed a 2-for-1 trade, and they gave away their No. 23 pick this season and the signing rights of Mojave King in exchange for their 2026 first-round pick. The deal has been officially announced.

For the Pacers, the deal accomplished two goals –

For one, salary expert Marks reported that the deal would clear up about $3.24 million in salary space for the Pacers, giving the team more salary flexibility when re-signing Myles Turner and avoiding over-touching the luxury tax line.

Second, the move would free up more future first-round picks for the Pacers to trade. Previously, the Pacers could only offer up to two first-round picks unconditionally in any trade package due to the "Stepping Rule" prohibiting teams from not having a first-round pick for two consecutive seasons, but now they can offer up to four (2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032).

The Pacers initially sent the 2026 draft pick to the Raptors as a trade chip last season in exchange for Siakam. The Raptors sent that draft pick to the Pelicans earlier this season as part of the Brandon Ingram trade.

After the trade is completed, the Pelicans have two first-round picks (No. 7 and No. 23) in this year's draft.

Mojave King, 23, is a 2023 second-round pick who played 15 Development League games for the Indiana Crazy Ants in 2023-24 and played in the professional league in Puerto Rico and his home country of New Zealand last season.

The Pacers are reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000 and will retain most of the core members of their current roster except for center Myles Turner, who is set to become a full free agent, with whom the Pacers expect to re-sign.

The Pacers are currently trailing the Thunder 2-3 in the best-of-seven series of the Finals, and Game 6 will be played in Indianapolis on June 20.