Adrian Wojnarowski dropped a massive bomb on Tuesday night in regards to Indiana Pacers head coach Nate Bjorkgren, the first-year head coach who replaced Nate McMillan. According to Woj, Bjorkgren’s job is in jeopardy after a poor first season.
The Pacers moved on from McMillan after failing to get beyond the first round of the playoffs under his leadership but now they are on the verge of missing the playoffs altogether this season. If things do not improve between Bjorkgren and the rest of the organization, his tenure in Indiana might be a very short one.
Nate Bjorkgren’s time with the Indiana Pacers may be up soon
There is nothing in stone that Bjorkgren will not return next season but this news certainly indicates he has a lot of work to do if he wants to come back. With reports of his relationship with players and the front office being sour, I have a hard time seeing how he can return now that it is public knowledge.
Amid a year of difficulties with players and staff, Indiana Pacers coach Nate Bjorkgren’s future with the franchise is uncertain as the regular season nears an end, sources tell ESPN. The Pacers are 30-34 and in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 5, 2021
I was fine with the firing of McMillan given the mediocrity that came with his leadership but the choice of Bjorkgren has raised some eyebrows this season. The team has not taken the step forward that we all expected but rather took a massive step in the wrong direction.
While injuries have been a major factor all season long, they cannot be the sole excuse every time things go wrong with this club. Fans have raised questions regarding Bjorkgren’s rotations and usage all season long and now it seems as if the front office – and players – have a similar line of thinking.
The Pacers seem to be ready to shake things up drastically this offseason. If they do indeed move on from Bjorkgren and the new coaching staff decides to split up the already-failing Turbonis pairing, this could be a very different team in 2021-22.
This news does not get out at this point in the season without there being validity behind it. It’s about to be a wild few months for the Indiana Pacers once again.