From the day Kevin Pritchard took over as President of Basketball Operations for the Indiana Pacers, he has been tasked with navigating difficult situations and finding ways to turn them into positives. From Paul George requesting a trade shortly after Pritchard replaced Larry Bird in the front office, to Tyrese Haliburton tearing his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, many of the franchise’s most painful moments have been completely outside of Pritchard’s control. But this situation was different. This one came down to a decision the front office willingly made. Pritchard ultimately had the final say on what Indiana was willing to include in the blockbuster trade that landed them Ivica Zubac, and that meant accepting the very real possibility that the Pacers’ 2026 top-four protected first-round pick could eventually convey to the Los Angeles Clippers. It was a difficult decision and one of the reasons the deal took until the final hour of the NBA trade deadline to get completed.…