Indiana Pacers: 3 under-the-radar coaching candidates after Nate Bjorkgren’s firing
Under-the-radar coaching candidate for the Indiana Pacers: Brian Shaw
Experience? Check. Familiarity? Check. Player-turned-coach? Check. In the grand scheme of things, Brian Shaw checks most of the boxes that the Indiana Pacers have in their search for their next man on the sidelines.
He’s only has a two-year career as an NBA head coach, and even that didn’t lead to a fruitful tenure, registering a 56-85 in a couple of seasons with the Denver Nuggets, but context must be given here as he dealt with a depleted team which promptly rebuilt the following campaign. Prior to that, he enjoyed a lengthy 14-year career in the NBA as a player.
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Alas, he is also a seasoned NBA assistant coach, serving on the bench for eleven years in stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and… the Pacers. Currently, he is the head coach of the G-League Ignite team in the NBA G-League.
The Indiana Pacers should give Brian Shaw a deserved hard look for what he can bring to the table. A Phil Jackson disciple, Shaw helped Frank Vogel engineer the Pacers’ signature physical defense in the early 2010s which hoisted Indiana as a contender. Perhaps Shaw can work his magic again in the Circle City and restore the team’s lost defensive identity last season.
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