Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers will interview Steve Clifford, Brian Shaw and Terry Stotts in Chicago for their open head coach position, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Clifford, 59, is best known for his head coaching gigs with the Charlotte Hornets (2014-2018) and Orlando Magic (2018-2021). He led his teams to the playoffs on four separate occasions. Clifford and the Magic agreed to a mutual parting of ways in June.

Shaw, 55, played in the NBA from 1988-2003. He coached in the NBA from 2005-2019, notably going 56-85 for the Denver Nuggets in his lone head-coaching stint (2013-2015). He currently works as the head coach for the NBA's G League Ignite.

Stotts and the Portland Trail Blazers separated after this past season, which saw the Blazers go 42-30 and lose to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Portland went to the playoffs eight straight years under Stotts, reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2019. The 63-year-old coached Portland for nine seasons and also worked as the head coach for the Atlanta Hawks (2002-2004) and Milwaukee Bucks (2005-2007).

Indiana is looking for a new sideline leader after parting ways with Nate Bjorkgren, who went 34-38 in his lone season on the Pacer bench.

Indiana reached the play-in round and beat the Charlotte Hornets but lost an elimination game to the Washington Wizards, preventing the Pacers from making the postseason. That marked the first time the Pacers missed the playoffs since 2015.

Former Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle may not stay unemployed for very long. 

Appearing on Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast (h/t RealGM.com), ESPN's Tim MacMahon said Carlisle could end up with the Milwaukee Bucks if they decide to move on from Mike Budenholzer

MacMahon added "there's a lot of smoke" about Carlisle going to the Indiana Pacers. 

Carlisle told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski via text message on Thursday that he informed Mavs owner Mark Cuban he wouldn't be returning as head coach next season. 

"This was solely my decision," Carlisle added. "My family and I have had an amazing 13-year experience working with great people in a great city."

The Bucks job would be one of the most sought-after head-coaching positions in the NBA if it becomes available. They haven't finished worse than third in the Eastern Conference standings in each of the past three seasons, and Giannis Antetokounmpo signed a five-year extension in December.

Wojnarowski reported on the June 11 episode of his podcast (h/t RealGM.com) that "it's hard to imagine" Budenholzer, who has one year remaining on his current contract, returns if the Bucks lose their playoff series to the Brooklyn Nets. 

The Pacers will going into the 2021-22 campaign with their third head coach in three seasons. Nate McMillan was fired by the team in August after a first-round playoff loss to the Miami Heat. Nate Bjorkgren was fired last week after a 34-38 record. 

Carlisle is very familiar with the Indiana organization. He spent three years as an assistant coach under Larry Bird from 1997 to 2000. The 61-year-old returned to the Pacers as head coach from 2003 to 2007. He went 181-147 with three playoff appearances during that span.  

The Indiana Pacers reportedly fired head coach Nate Bjorkgren Wednesday after just one year with the team, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Wojnarowski also noted Indiana will look for a "more experienced, established head coach" to fill the opening.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts is among the veteran coaches the Pacers will consider.

Stotts spent the past nine years as Portland's coach before he was fired earlier this month. He also spent parts of four total seasons leading the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks earlier in his career.

The 63-year-old was a model of consistency during his time with Portland, reaching the playoffs in each of the last eight seasons. He helped the squad reach the Western Conference Finals in 2019.

However, Portland was looking for more from the coach after first-round exits in five of the last seven seasons.

The Pacers had a similar situation with five straight first-round losses from 2016-20. Nate McMillan was fired after his fourth-straight playoff loss last season, including three four-game sweeps in that stretch.

Bjorkgren was hired as a first-time head coach after serving as an assistant with the Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns. Things did not go as expected, with the Pacers finishing 34-38 while failing to reach the playoffs. 

Wojnarowski also noted Bjorkgren "lost the locker room" during his first season.

Indiana could go with more experience with its next hire while trying to get the most out of a roster that features a quality core led by Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner.

Nate Bjorkgren is out after one season as the Indiana Pacers head coach, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Wojnarowski provided additional details on the front office's decision:

Bjorkgren was informed today of decision to dismiss him, sources said. He met with management on Tuesday. Pacers are expected to pursue a more experienced, established head coach in this process. Bjorkgren lost locker room and much of organization in his one year as coach. https://t.co/FSwxnl66Ed

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 9, 2021

The Pacers finished the season 34-38 and lost in the play-in tournament. 

The 45-year-old took over for Nate McMillan last October, with McMillan's firing coming as a bit of a surprise after the Pacers were fourth in the Eastern Conference. The 2019-20 campaign ended on a low note, however, as the Miami Heat swept Indiana in the first round.

It was the franchise's fifth straight exit in the opening round—four of which came in McMillan's tenure—which likely explained the abrupt move. Bjorkgren's departure illustrates how change on its own doesn't guarantee improvement, though.

Wednesday's news comes after multiple reports cast doubt on his long-term future in Indiana.

Wojnarowski reported May 4 that Bjorkgren had "significant work to do with his relationships among players throughout the team and with some members of the organization."

Shams Charania of The Athletic provided more detail, explaining how the Pacers brought him in to connect with the players better than McMillan had. Instead, his man management style became problematic:

"While he is indeed far more invested when it comes to coaching in accordance with modern-day NBA thinking, Bjorkgren's abrasive style has come as a surprise—in interactions with players and his own coaching staff members—and led to the kind of frustration that has caused significant concern. It hasn't been reserved merely for the players, either, as several sources cited instances where Bjorkgren's personality and tendency to be controlling with assistant coaches and other staff members caused unnecessary tension."

Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer painted a damning portrait of not only Bjorkgren but also the Pacers for their hiring process. While they spoke with Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, for whom he was an assistant, they didn't connect with any of his former co-workers on the Phoenix Suns.

T.J. Warren, who played under Bjorkgren in Phoenix, wasn't consulted, either, and requested to be traded upon learning of the hiring, per Fischer.

"They didn’t do their background on who [Bjorkgren] was or how he treated people," said one person close to the coaching search. "They just talked hoops with him." https://t.co/5Whyfc0FqB

— Sean Highkin (@highkin) May 6, 2021

Wojnarowski reported Bjorkgren was working to improve things in the locker room, and there's a chance things would've improved if he had been afforded a second season. 

While he had spent four years as an assistant, working as a head coach presents different challenges. Bjorkgren isn't the first, nor will he be the last to struggle with the transition. One NBA executive described him as "just completely out of his element as a leader" to Fischer.

The Pacers clearly felt they couldn't afford to take a wait-and-see approach and needed to make the change now.

Warren and Jeremy Lamb are free agents after the 2021-22 season, while Caris LeVert, Myles Turner and Malcolm Brogdon are all due to hit the open market in 2023. The franchise is built to contend now, and it might be facing a serious reset in a few years.

Indiana could ill afford to tread water in another lost season with Bjorkgren on the sideline.

When the Pacers were searching for a replacement for McMillan, Mike D'Antoni was heavily linked to the role. Having experimented with a first-time head coach, perhaps they'll make another run at D'Antoni, who works on the Brooklyn Nets staff, or more generally target candidates with head coaching experience.

Warren made just four appearances, while LeVert's time with the team was after a physical revealed renal cell carcinoma of his kidney. Myles Turner also saw a toe injury interrupt one of the best defensive seasons of his NBA career.

The Pacers are positioned well to rebound in 2021-22 under new stewardship.  

The Portland Trail Blazers and Terry Stotts mutually agreed to part ways Friday after the team's first-round playoff exit Thursday, but a new opportunity could be around the corner for the veteran coach.

"Stotts is believed to be a candidate in Indiana should the Pacers make a change," Jason Quick and Shams Charania of The Athletic reported.

Nate Bjorkgren just completed his first year as head coach of the Indiana Pacers, but the organization has not provided any guarantees he will be back after a 34-38 season.

"Nate and I will have a long conversation over many days on what he needs to improve on," team president Kevin Pritchard said last month, per Bob Kravitz of The Athletic. "He is our coach as of now, and I'll have a fair discussion with him."

The Pacers were eliminated in the play-in tournament after making the playoffs the previous five seasons. While injuries played a role, there were also issues behind the scenes.

"Bjorkgren's style of coaching and communication—on the court, in the locker room and in individual settings with players and staff—has often been the root of team turmoil this season," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

J. Michael and Nat Newell of the Indianapolis Star also reported there were issues in the locker room, saying the coach is a "micromanager and controlling."

It could lead to a change for the Pacers, who might want to replace a first-time coach with a more experienced option.

Stotts has led three different organizations across 13 years as a head coach, including the last nine with the Trail Blazers. He has a 517-486 career record while leading Portland to the postseason the last eight seasons. While that stretch included five first-round exits, the squad also reached the Western Conference Finals in 2019.

Star point guard Damian Lillard also provided kind words following the Stotts news.

"I feel down about it because I'm not much a fan of change," Lillard said. "And every memory of mine in this uniform includes him."

Indiana has plenty of talent when healthy with a core that includes Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner, Caris LeVert and T.J. Warren. A new coach and better injury luck could be what is needed to turn the squad into an Eastern Conference contender.

Kevin Pritchard's job as the Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations is safe this offseason, according to the Indianapolis Star's J. Michael.

Michael reported Pritchard met with team governor Herb Simon, after which Simon decided to retain the services of the 53-year-old for another season. Michael added Pritchard "wasn’t ever in jeopardy." 

Since joining Indiana's front office in 2011, Pritchard has generally done well to assemble a strong roster while dealing with the difficulties of working in a non-marquee market. And while the Pacers failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2015, that wasn't really a failure of team-building.

T.J. Warren appeared in just four games, and the trio of Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner missed a combined 51 games.

The franchise also came out pretty well from trading away Victor Oladipo, only to then see Caris LeVert require surgery after the team physical turned up a mass on his kidney.

Simply qualifying for the play-in tournament at 34-38 was a bit of an achievement given what the Pacers went through.

Pritchard does, however, have to answer for the process that resulted in Nate Bjorkgren's arrival.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic's Shams Charania and Sam Amick both reported Bjorkgren appeared to be on shaky ground only one year into the job. Sabonis and Brogdon were mentioned as having "voiced their dissatisfaction with Bjorkgren and their general unhappiness amid a down season."

Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report dug deeper to examine how Bjorkgren was brought aboard in the first place:

'They didn't do their background on who [Bjorkgren] was or how he treated people,' said one person close to the coaching search. 'They just talked hoops with him.'

It seems that missing intel foreshadowed the very interpersonal issues that have since risen in Indiana. 

'When he was hired I was surprised, because he's not the easiest to work with just on anything,' said one of Bjorkgren's former G League players. 'He's kind of stubborn, won't listen, even though it might be good conversation. He's a micromanager and he's not for everyone.'

Warren, who had played under Bjorkgren while with the Phoenix Suns, reportedly requested a trade once he heard the 45-year-old was succeeding Nate McMillan.

Pritchard didn't commit to Bjorkgren staying on as head coach, so the Pacers could be making their second change in as many offseasons on that front. It doesn't appear that will impact Prichard's status within the organization, though.

Nate Bjorkgren still has his job, but team president Kevin Pritchard was noncommittal about the first-year head coach's future with the Indiana Pacers on Monday. 

Pritchard said Bjorkgren is "our coach as of now," but he is "not committing either way" to keeping him around for another season, according to J. Michael of the Indy Star. Pritchard added that players had complaints about Bjorkgren's management style, though "no one said they were unhappy" in exit meetings. 

"I've got a young coach with super talent and X['s] and O's but needs some [improvement] in human management," Pritchard said.

The 45-year-old joined the Pacers after five years as an assistant for the Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors (the latter of which he helped lead to an NBA title in 2019). He stepped in for Nate McMillan, who was let go after his fourth consecutive first-round playoff exit. 

Bjorkgren finished 34-38 in his inaugural campaign, which nearly ended in a postseason trip.

The Pacers, who were marred by injuries at the end of the year, were eliminated in the second round of the play-in tournament after a 142-115 loss to the Washington Wizards. During the regular season, the Eastern Conference team never won more than three games in a row. 

In addition to reporting players were concerned about micromanagement from Bjorkgren, Michael noted that the new head coach "was resistant to change and input from his staff." 

Earlier this month, Bjorkgren took responsibility for the team's struggles while speaking with the media: 

"It's been a tough year. There's a lot of challenges being a head coach in this league. I don't make excuses for things. I'm a young coach. I'm learning, I'm growing and I've got to coach better. This is on me. I'm the head coach. Things should be pointed at me and rest on my shoulders."

"You don't win 34 games without doing some good things, but there are some things we need to do better and [Bjorkgren] needs to do better," Pritchard said Monday. 

Bjorkgren's contract is guaranteed through the upcoming season. 

Amid reports that members of the Indiana Pacers are unhappy with Nate Bjorkgren, at least one player is defending his head coach. 

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Doug McDermott said the Pacers are "really lucky" to have Bjorkgren. 

"It's a challenging year to be a head coach anywhere," McDermott added. "I have a lot of respect for that guy."

In a May 6 story, one NBA executive told B/R's Jake Fischer that Bjorkgren is "just completely out of his element as a leader."

Fischer added that Bjorkgren's communication style has been described as "aggressive and abrasive with players and members of the Pacers staff, from his front-of-the-bench assistants down to trainers and equipment personnel."

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Bjorkgren's future in Indiana was "uncertain," but he has shown a "willingness within the organization" to work on addressing the concerns. 

Bjorkgren was hired by Indiana in October after Nate McMillan was fired. Wojnarowski noted his contract with the Pacers is only guaranteed through the 2021-22 season, but includes a team option for 2022-23. 

The 45-year-old spent the previous two seasons as an assistant on Nick Nurse's coaching staff with the Toronto Raptors.  

The Pacers' season came to an end on Thursday night with a 142-117 loss to the Washington Wizards in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. They finished 34-38 during the regular season, their first time under .500 since 2014-15 (38-44). 

The Washington Wizards crushed the Indiana Pacers 142-115 on Thursday in the NBA play-in tournament to advance to the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Wizards guard Bradley Beal led the team with 25 points, and after the game, he praised his team's fantastic performance.

"It's probably the most beautiful thing I have seen us do all year," Beal told reporters.

Washington shot 58.1 percent from the field and hit 14-of-28 three-pointers en route to the blowout. The Wizards led 66-52 at halftime before scoring 48 third-quarter points and led by as many as 38. They outscored Indiana 72-40 in the paint.

Russell Westbrook was one assist and two rebounds shy of a triple-double at halftime, and Daniel Gafford had five first-half blocks.

Overall, it was an excellent night for the Wizards, who finished the regular season by winning 17 of their last 23 games.

Now they'll battle the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Beal averaged 31.3 points per game during the regular season, and the Wizards will need his scoring prowess to have any chance at pulling off the seven-game series upset.

One potential X-factor is his hamstring, however, as Beal recently missed three regular-season games with a mild left hamstring strain.

Beal talked about the injury with reporters postgame, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk:

Bradley Beal says his hamstring is "feeling better... obviously I am still being cautious about certain movements... 7-game series, there is no change in my approach. Everybody is hurt during this time. Mine is a little bit more significant but it is all about the team."

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) May 21, 2021

Beal suffered the injury late in the Wizards' May 8 win over the Pacers before sitting three games between May 10-14.

He returned for the regular-season finale against the Charlotte Hornets last Sunday and also played in the Wizards' play-in loss to the Boston Celtics last Tuesday.

The three-time All-Star looked good Thursday, shooting 9-of-17 from the field:

HIGHLIGHTS: Bradley Beal dropped 25 points in 28 minutes tonight!#WizPacers | @RealDealBeal23 pic.twitter.com/pAdyy0bbGT

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) May 21, 2021

Beal and the Wizards will look to keep their momentum going on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET against the 76ers, with Game 1 occurring in Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center.

Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner had some choice words for any basketball fans who counted out his team in the play-in game against the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday. 

It was actually more of a label: Casual. 

S/o to the casuals that bet against us tonight! 😂 this time of the year different! People always forget that! GOOD DUB!

— Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) May 19, 2021

The Pacers rocked the upstart Hornets 144-117 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as Indiana moved one step closer to the first round of the postseason. Indiana will face the loser of Tuesday's second play-in game between the Washington Wizards and Boston Celtics to determine who earns the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. 

All five Pacers starters finished with at least 12 points. Forward Oshae Brissett had a game-high 23 points while wing Doug McDermott posted 21 points with four three-pointers. Yet no player was more dominant on both ends of the floor than Domantas Sabonis, who grabbed 21 rebounds to go with 14 points and nine assists.

That was more than enough to put away the likes of LaMelo Ball, Devonte' Graham and Terry Rozier.

The Hornets will now enter the NBA draft lottery while the Pacers season continues. Turner may not be on the floor with his teammates as he rehabs a toe injury, but the center was named the league's blocks champion on Tuesday after compiling 159 in 47 games. 

On Tuesday, Turner swatted away all the haters as Indiana coasted to victory over Charlotte.