Indiana Pacers: Search for head coach reportedly takes another hit

The Indiana Pacers continue to search for their next head coach.

As the offseason continues in the NBA, the Indiana Pacers remain without a head coach. Ty Lue has agreed to terms with the Los Angeles Clippers, with a lasting impact on the Pacers. Chauncey Billups, a lead candidate for Indiana, is expected to join Lue’s staff as an assistant. Billups would reportedly still take the Pacers head coaching job if selected by Indiana.

The longer Indiana waits, the fewer options that will remain for them to consider. Billups had advanced into the next phase of interviews for Indiana and his removal from contention will certainly shake up their search in the coming weeks.

Chauncey Billups was arguably the biggest name available for the Pacers. Indiana would have presented him with his first opportunity as a head coach, but he will put that on hold until at least next offseason.

Indiana is rumored to still be high on Pelicans assistant Chris Finch and Heat assistants Dan Craig and Chris Quinn. With options running out, Indiana may want to start narrowing down the search a bit further.

The team is planning the next round of interviews and meeting with candidates over the next few weeks but there are no indications of when a deal will be made. The NBA Draft is set to take place in mid-November with pre-draft visits starting this week. Finding a team identity without a head coach will be a challenging task this offseason for a team with questions already looming about the roster.

The future is very much in question for the Pacers but they continue to do a thorough evaluation of all possible candidates before making a final decision.