Joe Dumars did not let luck box him and the New Orleans Pelicans in as the 2025 NBA Draft approaches. Last month, the Pelicans fell to seventh in the draft order after having the fifth-best odds before the lottery.

However, the Indiana Pacers did a nifty little bit of work during the Finals, agreeing to a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and later

The Indiana Pacers have agreed to trade their 23rd overall choice in next week's NBA draft to New Orleans for a 2026 first-round pick, the Pelicans announced Tuesday. The deal gives the Pelicans two first-round picks — the seventh and 23rd overall — in the draft,