After stepping down as the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks last week, Rick Carlisle’s brief sojourn through the head coaching free agency waters has come to an end.
Per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Carlisle has agreed to sign a four-year, $29 million contract by the Indiana Pacers.
Carlisle spent 13 seasons in Dallas, accumulating a 555-478 record, and leading the Mavs to their first and only NBA championship in 2010-11.
Prior to his gig in Dallas, Carlisle was the head coach of the Pacers from 2003-04 to 2006-07. He boasted an 181-147 record, and led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2003-04.
Carlisle stepped down from his role as head coach a day after it was announced longtime president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson was leaving the franchise. There’s were also reports that there was tension between Carlisle and the Mavs’ young superstar Luka Doncic.
However, Carlisle stated that Nelson’s departure and any potential conflict with Doncic was not the impetus for his resignation.
Pacers are hiring Rick Carlisle as their new head coach, per @espn_macmahon
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 24, 2021
He was their coach from ’03-’07 pic.twitter.com/5VRor7WikW
“”You never want to get to a point where you ever feel like you’re overstaying your welcome, and I just felt like this is the right time,” Carlisle said Thursday. “I just have such great respect for [Mark Cuban] and everyone there, and I’m fortunate to move on to another great opportunity.”
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban also announced that he will not be seeking compensation for Carlisle’s departure (as Carlisle still had two years left on his contract with the Mavericks) as he did not want to interfere with Carlisle’s hiring process.
Carlisle takes over a highly talented, but often injured, team in the Pacers.
Under Nate Bjorkgren, who was relieved of his duties as head coach after a disappointing 38-44 season, the team struggled to find a rhythm and was eliminated from the play-in tournament (the first time they missed the playoffs in five years).
However, Carlisle is still optimistic about the roster—which includes blossoming players such as Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon, and Caris Levert—and is excited to try to replicate the magic he once found as a coach in 2010-11.
“[General manager Kevin Pritchard] and I have talked extensively about the roster. I like their roster. It’s a team of skilled, unselfish guys that play hard. It’s always possible that moves could be made before the season, but I think Kevin and I are both very excited about getting the roster healthy and seeing what this team can be,” said Carlisle.
