Larry Bird put his stamp on the Pacers in the last year – firing Frank Vogel and trading for Jeff Teague and Thaddeus Young to join hand-picked Monta Ellis and Myles Turner as Paul George’s supporting cast on an up-tempo, offensively dynamic team.
The plan fell flat.
Indiana played at a below-average pace and produced a middling offense. The Pacers got swept by the Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs.
Now, Indiana’s uncertain future – with Paul George a year from free agency and the Lakers courting – gets even more chaotic.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:
Larry Bird is stepping down as Pacers president, league sources tell @TheVertical. Kevin Pritchard will take over basketball operations.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 28, 2017
Bird is expected to continue on as a consultant, working with Pritchard and the Pacers front office, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 28, 2017
Bird had already resigned once as Pacers president, in 2012. He returned the following year.
Bird’s patience and pain tolerance for the job due to lingering back issues from his playing days has long seemed to waver. I wouldn’t write him off for good.
Indiana promoted Kevin Pritchard in 2012, when Bird previously stepped down. Pritchard previously worked as the Trail Blazers’ general manager, and he’s a qualified replacement.
The work begins immediately with a decision on George. If he doesn’t make an All-NBA team, the Pacers won’t gain as much financial advantage in his contract offer. That could open the door to a trade and rebuilding around Turner -- or making a last-ditch push to convince George he can win in Indiana.