The long-awaited news finally came from the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday morning when they fired Nate Bjorkgren after one season as head coach. Indiana had its struggles last season and Bjorkgren was at the forefront of most of the blame.
Nate Bjorkgren is out as Indiana's coach, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 9, 2021
With the Pacers failing to make the playoffs while Nate McMillan carried the Hawks to a first-round victory, things look grim in Indiana. The search is on once again for a team that has been trying to find its head coach for what feels like forever. With another long offseason on the horizon, the Pacers need to make a decision quickly.
Nate Bjorkgren out as Indiana Pacers head coach
The Pacers earned a Play-in opportunity under Bjorkgren and squandered that chance. They landed in the lottery with a chance to bring in a solid rookie draft pick for the upcoming season, which gives the team some hope. The roster also has a number of guys that could entice potential hires.
With Caris LeVert, Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, and Malcolm Brogdon under contract, the next head coach will have plenty of options. Mix in a lottery pick and the potential of a trade surrounding the big men and the Pacers could look completely different next season.
Several respected head coaches are on the market right now and could be in play for the Pacers. Terry Stotts, who leaves the Blazers after another playoff exit, is one of the top names to monitor. Steve Clifford, formerly of the Magic, is another candidate as things stand.
Mike D’Antoni, Chauncey Billups, and Becky Hammon are currently assistants but are eyeing head coaching positions and were in the running last season when Bjorkgren was hired.
Indiana could be in a much worse spot as they search for a head coach. Having a capable roster with playoff experience is better than sitting at the bottom of the conference with no reason for optimism. With All-Stars and scoring threats on the roster, this opening should be one of the top available, though Boston and Portland are enticing as well.