The Indiana Pacers are set to hire Rick Carlisle as their next head coach. After splitting ways with Nate Bjorkgren after the season ended in the play-in tournament, Indiana has made a great hire. Carlisle has championship experience and is well respected as a smart and adaptive coach. While the last two years in Dallas weren’t as great as many expected, there is reason to believe Carlisle will thrive in Indianapolis.
The Pacers are set to hire Carlisle for $26 million over 4-years. ESPN’s Tim McMahon broke the news via Twitter.
Sources: The Pacers are hiring Rick Carlisle as head coach. He will sign a 4-year, $29 million contract.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 24, 2021
The Pacers have a roster that should be capable of competing in the Eastern Conference. Domantas Sabonis and Caris LeVert have come into their own in the last few years with Sabonis becoming a potential perennial All-Star. Myles Turner is still a young, capable center that has adapted his game to the modern NBA more each season, and T.J. Warren has become a great addition as well.
Perhaps Indiana will make more moves in order to get the roster to Carlisle’s liking. There are a lot of teams that could be in the market to make big moves as they move on to new coaches and potentially new rosters. The coaching carousel is always turning in the NBA.
The Pacers finished the season with a 34-38 record, finishing 9th in the Eastern Conference under Bjorkgren. Carlisle was able to take his Dallas Mavericks squad to a 42-30 record and the 5th seed in the West. They went on to lose to the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Luka Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr., took the Mavs to seven games against the Clippers who are in the Western Conference Finals.
Carlisle has a history with the Pacers, being an assistant coach under Larry Bird early in his career. This time he has the reigns and a lot more experience under his belt. Great hire for Indiana.
