Pacers GM Chad Buchanan: Spending to luxury tax is 'a very real possibility'

INDIANAPOLIS -- The situation the Pacers face after last week's NBA Draft Lottery broke against them is admittedly sub-optimal. Given the Pacers' salary cap situation, getting a top-four draft pick would have been the easiest way to add high-level talent without trading one of the seven players they consider part of their core. That being said, the Pacers' front office went out of its way last week to note it would explore any options on the table.

There are tools they have now that they would not if they had kept the pick, and they intend to at least look into those options after reaching the NBA Finals in 2025 and returning most of that core in 2026-27 after an injury-ravaged 2025-26 season that led to the worst record in franchise history. "We're in a win-now window right here with this group," general manager Chad Buchanan said in a radio interview on The Ride with JMV on The Fan last week. "We're going to be aggressive in trying to find players that fit with this team that we can add to help us compete right away.

By not having the pick, it opens up other options through free agency ... to go pursue some trades. ....

Our sole focus is winning right now. " That includes, Buchanan said, going into the luxury tax, which is something the Pacers have been hesitant to do as a franchise. According to the sports business website Spotrac, they're already committed to more than $200 million in salary for the 2026-27 season which puts them about $35 million over the salary cap, $247,000 under the luxury tax and $7.