The Indiana Pacers are trading their No. 23 pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft and Mojave King to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for the Pacers getting back their 2026 first-round draft pick, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
King was the team’s second round pick in 2023, playing in the G League, New Zealand, and Puerto Rico over the past couple of season as he develops.
He hasn’t made the move over to the NBA yet, though it could soon change since the Pelicans are not a title-contending team at the moment.
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NBA draft deal: The Indiana Pacers are trading their No. 23 pick and the rights to Mojave King to the New Orleans Pelicans for Indiana’s own 2026 first-round pick back which the Pelicans had previously acquired, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 17, 2025
The trade strangely comes amid the NBA Finals, where the Pacers are down 3-2 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The championship series is headed back to Indiana for Game 6, where the Pacers hope to extend the series into Game 7 on the road.
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The trade unlocks several moves for the Pacers during the off-season, now able to trade their first-round picks in 2026, 2028, 2030, and 2032, Kevin O’Connor posted on X.
The team can also move the first round pick swaps in 2027, 2029, and 2031.
Center Myles Turner is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and Indiana has some big potential extensions coming up for some of their key rotational players.
Stockpiling additional assets now means more flexibility down the line if needed to shed salary where possible.
According to Bobby Marks, the trade frees up $3.24 million from the team’s cap sheet, allowing for more wiggle room as the team approaches potential salary cap and tax issues.
The first was originally sent to Toronto as part of the Pascal Siakam trade.
It was rerouted to New Orleans when the Raptors acquired Brandon Ingram. It was top-4 protected in 2026 and 2027.
Indiana now has their own first in the next seven years (2026-2032).
The trade clears… https://t.co/boLPTFuZKI
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 17, 2025
The team can also allocate more of their money to Turner, keeping their starting center who has established himself over the years and developed into a meaningful contributor on an NBA-title caliber team.
While the timing is odd, the Pacers reportedly shop the draft pick around, looking for a way to get some cap relief and a future pick.
There is still work to be done this season, but the Indiana front office is already looking ahead to the summer stretch.
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For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI.
