The Cleveland Cavaliers' NBA Finals dreams were crushed last playoffs by the eventual conference champions Indiana Pacers.
Cleveland entered the series as favorites following a 64-win regular season and a quick sweep in the first round against the Miami Heat. Surprisingly, the Pacers ousted the Cavs in just five games, brutally silencing the entire fan base with heartbreaking game winners from Tyrese Haliburton and a defense which exposed every flaw lingering within the Cavaliers' depth chart.
Haliburton and the Pacers would eventually face the Oklahoma City Thunder in a full seven-game Finals series. Game seven opened with an unbelievable sequence from the breakout star, scoring nine points in the first few minutes. Suddenly, Haliburton collapsed to the ground after attempting to drive to the hoop from the left wing. A palpable tension sat over the hushed arena as every viewer instantly knew the worst news would soon be revealed.
Haliburton's season was over with a torn Achilles, equally ending the Pacers' Finals run.
This season, that bad luck was an opportunity for the Pacers to restructure for another run at the Finals when Haliburton returns. Indiana finished the 2025-26 regular season with 31 fewer wins and held the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference. It gave them a 17-percent chance at the top pick in a loaded draft class.
A mid-season trade to bolster the roster for Haliburton's return has now bit the Pacers, throwing away the silver lining of the poor season. At the trade deadline, the Pacers sent their 2026 first-round pick to the LA Clippers in a deal that landed Indy veteran center Ivica Zubac. Indy's due diligence kept the pick heavily protected with picks 1-4 and 10-30 going back to the Pacers. It left just five possible landing spots that would favor the Clippers.
Indiana's loss already makes the Cavaliers winners of the draft
When the lottery balls were drawn, Indiana's worst fate came to life. The fifth overall pick was awarded to the Clippers, exactly one pick outside of the Pacers' convoluted protections. That trade initially looked like a death sentence for the Cavs' chances against Indiana next season. If the Pacers kept that pick, the same team that ended Cleveland's run last year added one of the premier defensive bigs in the league and an elite rookie. While fans in Indianapolis curse the lottery system, five hours away Clevelanders quietly celebrate that same lottery havoc.
For the Cavaliers, the draft lottery has little impact as they battle the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the playoffs. Cleveland's first-round pick will be held by the Atlanta Hawks, and the Cavs will select 29th overall, courtesy of the San Antonio Spurs.
If the Pacers were not involved in the lottery, there would be no consequence for Cleveland. Indiana's unfathomable bad luck, however, is an unpredictable gift to the Cavs. Next season, the Pacers will be one of Cleveland's biggest threats in the postseason if both squads stay in contention and are healthy. Haliburton's return, Pascal Siakams continued stardom and Zubac's arrival were all terrifying prospects for the Cavaliers to examine, especially with the top rookie in tow.
Haliburton will still be a major hurdle for the Cavaliers to get over next year, but the worst turn of fate for the Pacers is a small victory for Cleveland. As other young teams like the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks are still searching for a route to true contention, the Pacers' inability to secure AJ Dybantsa or Cameron Boozer secures a bit of relief for the Cavs. The playing field is a bit more predictable.
For now, the Cleveland Cavaliers remain focused on crawling back from a 2-1 series deficit against the Pistons, but the coming June 23 draft night looks a bit more positive from the Cavs' perspective. Even without a horse in the race, the Cavaliers come out on top as one of the biggest benefactors from the lottery's chaos.
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