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The Indiana Pacers exceeded expectations after making it all the way to the NBA Finals, their first appearance since 2000. Unfortunately, the Pacers' Cinderella run came to an end at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were crowned NBA champions.
The Pacers currently don't need any major upgrades with a deep roster filled with talent. However, they do have two second-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft after the Pacers a trade with the San Antonio Spurs just before the first round of the draft.
But while the Pacers have the 38th and 54th picks, it's going to be difficult to find a diamond in the rough. And while the franchise is currently in good hands, their draft history isn't exactly promising. Here is a look at the Pacers' 10 worst NBA Draft day mistakes in history.
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10. Chris Duarte – 2021
The Pacers were looking for a major contributor right from the get-go out of the 2021 NBA Draft. As a result, they selected Dominican Republic national team stalwart Chris Duarte, who became a 24-year-old rookie out of Oregon.
Initially, Duarte had a solid rookie season, averaging 13.1 points per game. But after that, his production quickly fell off. Due to injuries, Duarte's career started to decline, leaving Pacers fans wondering what if the team had selected better players in the draft, including the likes of Alperen Sengun, Moses Moody, or Trey Murphy.
9. Miles Plumlee – 2012
Miles Plumlee was a standout big man out of Duke. As a result, it was natural that the Pacers swiped him away with the 26th overall pick at the 2012 NBA Draft. But while Plumlee was a big body that added frontcourt depth, he wasn't exactly the most skilled big man capable of providing productive minutes on a nightly basis. Draymond Green, who became an NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner, would've been a better option to boost Indiana's frontcourt.
8. Vonteego Cummings – 1999
The Pacers only had one draft pick at the 1999 NBA Draft, which was the 26th pick. They used this pick to select Vonteego Cummings. Shortly after, the Pacers traded Cummings to the Golden State Warriors for Jeff Foster. Both players had uneventful careers. As a result, it was a waste of a first-round pick that could've been used to select late-second-round pick Manu Ginobili.
7. Solomon Hill – 2013
After a terrible selection on Plumlee, a year later, the Pacers made Solomon Hill the 13th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft. Although Hill had his playoff moments with Indiana, he wasn't exactly worthy of a lottery pick. He averaged just 6.0 points per game in three seasons with the Pacers.
Furthermore, while his perimeter defense was reliable, Hill's limitations on offense was a big reason his NBA career only lasted less than a decade. It also adds insult to injury that Indiana failed to draft a future four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year in Rudy Gobert.
6. T.J. Leaf – 2017
Another miss during the 2010s for the Pacers was in the 2017 NBA Draft when they selected T.J. Leaf. He became one of the biggest miscalculations for the Pacers in recent memory.
The 18th pick out of UCLA was penciled in to be a plug-and-play stretch four, which was theoretically perfect in the modern NBA. However, Leaf's shot didn't translate at the NBA level. He averaged just 3.3 points per game while struggling from deep in his last two seasons with the Pacers. Four seasons later, Leaf was out of the NBA.
5. Jerryd Bayless – 2008
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Jerryd Bayless was a reliable scorer off the bench in the NBA. However, he wasn't exactly worth a lottery pick. Nonetheless, the Pacers selected him 11th overall at the 2008 NBA Draft. On the same night, they traded Bayless along with Ike Diogu to the Portland Trail Blazers for Kareem Rush, Jarrett Jack, and Josh McRoberts. All became veterans that weren't really needle-movers.
If they had wanted to maximize their lottery pick, the wiser decision could've been either DeAndre Jordan, Serge Ibaka, or Roy Hibbert. But if we're talking guards, Goran Dragic was the best option.
4. Shawne Williams – 2006
At the 2006 NBA Draft, the Pacers had one first-round pick. They used the 17th pick to select Memphis star Shawne Williams. Williams ended up carving out a journeyman career, serving as a reserve player from one team to another. With Indiana, he averaged just 5.6 points per game. Other notable players taken after him included Rajon Rondo, Kyle Lowry, and Paul Millsap, any of which would've made more impact for the franchise.
3. Steve Stipanovich – 1983
The Pacers certainly fumbled after finally getting the second overall pick in an NBA Draft. It marked the first time the franchise selected this high on draft night. At the 1983 NBA Draft, they selected Missouri star Steve Stipanovich. The 6-foot-11 big man was serviceable but not enough to live up to the hype. To make matters worse, Indiana missed out on premiere players such as Clyde Drexler, Jeff Malone, Doc Rivers, and Dale Ellis.
2. Trading away Kawhi Leonard – 2011
The Pacers were ultimately fleeced by the Spurs at the 2011 NBA Draft. The Pacers selected Kawhi Leonard with the 15th overall pick and traded him for George Hill. It's one of the most lopsided trades given that Leonard went on to become a two-time NBA Finals MVP, while the Pacers are still looking for their first NBA championship banner.
1. Rick Robey – 1978
But among the biggest draft misses that the Pacers made, it would have to be in 1978. Indiana was looking for frontcourt depth, leading them to pick Kentucky center Rick Robey with the third overall pick. Robey never lived up to the bill as a top-three pick.
In the process, Indiana missed out on no other than eventual basketball legend Larry Bird. Bird was reportedly rejoining Indiana State University, and the Pacers just couldn't wait due to financial constraints. History might've been different had Indiana not passed up on the Basketball Hall of Famer.
