The Indiana Pacers DID NOT LOSE the Ivica Zubac Trade...

It was the talk of the NBA Draft lottery, and arguably the biggest story going on. The Indiana Pacers, coming off the Finals, started the year poorly due to a variety of injuries and embraced the tank. Then, midway through the year, they made a huge gamble. Acquiring C Ivica Zubac for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and most interestingly, their first round pick, 1-4 protected. Keeping it if the lottery fell in their favor, and losing it entirely if it didn’t. The lottery just concluded, and the results are in. The pacers lost. No first round pick at all even after a brutal tanking season. People have said that now that this has happened, the pacers lost the trade. They got fleeced. But even though they lost the draft lottery, they did NOT lose the trade. And today, I’m gonna explain why that is.