Pacers looking to trade into NBA Draft in early second round, per report

The Pacers don't currently hold a pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but they reportedly have a specific target where they're trying to get back involved.

>According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, "the Pacers are looking to trade for a pick somewhere in the 30s early in the second round, according to league sources."

>Trading in at that level could have a number of benefits for the Pacers. For one, they have been successful in the past in finding talent early in the second round with starting guard Andrew Nembhard being a leading example. They could also use such a trade to move thd salary of forward Jarace Walker or guard Ben Sheppard to a team with salary cap room or a trade exception, such as the Memphis Grizzlies who pick at No. 32 and the Chicago Bulls who pick at No. 38. That would allow the Pacers to access more of the mid-level exception to use in free agency.

>Teams that are over the salary cap but under the first luxury tax apron can use the non-taxpayer portion of the mid-level exception -- which allows teams above the salary cap to add free agents. The non-taxpayer mid-level exception is expected to go up to $15.1 million for 2026-27. However, teams that use it are "hard-capped" at the first tax apron so they can't spend above that number all season. At the moment, the Pacers are only $7.8 million below the first apron so they could only use that much of the exception to sign free agents. Walker is due $8.5 million, so that would allow them to use the full exception.

>This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers looking to trade into NBA Draft in early second round