Coaching change in Indiana

[Andrew]

Isiah Thomas is out, and Rick Carlisle has been targeted as his replacement.

Immediately after the season, Walsh said Thomas would be retained as head coach, but the scenario changed after Bird was hired.

Walsh

“The bottom line is our situation did change,” Walsh said. “I was in my own mind looking at it even as I said (Thomas would return) thinking, ‘I hope this team can come back together again.’ I think at this point, I’d be real nervous about whether that can happen. But whether I would’ve on my own, without Larry being here, whether I would’ve fired him, I’m not sure.

“But I would’ve been very worried going into the season because I would agree that it could blow up early if it wasn’t together. And if it did, then we’d be in a worse situation.”

Walsh said he contacted as many players as possible to inform them of the decision and generally received non-committal answers. Jermaine O’Neal, who recently signed a 7-year contract extension, has been a staunch public supporter of Thomas.

“I think he’ll be disappointed but I also think he’ll sit down and talk to us and we’ll have a conversation about why it was done,” Walsh said. “It was done with the idea it’s in the best interest in the franchise and I think being both the man and the player he is, he’ll voice what he feels at that time and then we’ll know. I think he’s going to be disappointed as all the players are. This isn’t something people are happy about.”

Obviously Jermaine O'Neal can't do much about it since he's already re-signed (July 16th), but I wonder if it will lead to any trade demands.

[air gordon]

i was hoping that next season the pacers would rebound with a great season with zeek as the coach. seems he has a lot of critics, would have been nice to see him prove them wrong.

whoever will be the next coach will have his hands full. the team has a lot of talent but with no apparent leader plus a nutcase in artest

[Vins15]

damn...i was hoping Lenny Wilkens would have a shot at Indiana...now it is taken by Carlisle...and i heard that Carlisle is a not a good coach although he did guide Pistons to 50 sumthing wins...i heard that he critize his players his coaching staff etc...i'd have Lenny over Carlisle...

[Stevan]

wow as soon as I saw the headline, I though "Bird!" I don't think it's necesseraly that bad a move and it was bound to happen with Larry Bird taking over. It could back fire, but I'd trust Bird's judgement based on what he has done for the franchise in the past, and based on a book by him I have read. I don't see why his ex-assistant Carlile won't take the job either...

[Andrew]

Carlisle should do a good job, but it's another example of how the NBA is a business.

Immediately after the season, Walsh said Thomas would be retained as head coach, but the scenario changed after Bird was hired.

In other words, after Jermaine O'Neal (Zeke's biggest supporter) had been re-signed. With O'Neal under contract, the Pacers were free to get rid of Thomas.

[Vins15]

also Jermaine O'neal was rili angered of the decision and said he would not have resign with the Pacers if Thomas wansn't gonna stay...so basically Bird lie to both of them...and now i think O'neal is gonna want a trade soon...

[havasufalls]

also Jermaine O'neal was rili angered of the decision and said he would not have resign with the Pacers if Thomas wansn't gonna stay...so basically Bird lie to both of them...and now i think O'neal is gonna want a trade soon...

Yea he did say that he would not of resigned if Thomas wasn't gonna be the coach

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1604766

J. Oneal says:

“ I don't know who I would have signed with, but I would not have signed back there. Bottom line. ”
— Jermaine O'Neal
on the firing of Isiah Thomas

"Am I disappointed? Hell, yeah. I'm extremely disappointed for multiple reasons," O'Neal said. "I was told he would be here before I re-signed."

"If your boss told you your ace is going to be there for you if you come back, and once you come back not even a month later he's not there, that hurts. That hurts a lot. He was more than a coach to me. He was like a father."

"Everybody's just extremely surprised. We were geared up to go at this real strong. Now we've got to retool, look at a new system," O'Neal said. "I mean, I don't know if we're really trying to win the championship this year."

Strong words from O'neal I dont think he really wants to be a pacer rite now and i myself wouldn't mind seeing him in a new jersey start of the season.

[paseo85]

sorry but indiana aint going no where. and for one rick carl? why was he fired from detriot because he couldnt get along with players and the organization why did any other team sign him then. me personally thought zeke did a good job putting this team together. i just thought he lost the handle of the team especially with ron artest. team like boston philly and detriot will them for dinner you watch. i think there will be friction its just like the damon stoudamire crap in toronto. i thought it was bad that zeke went into coaching his dream was to own a team. good luck zeke i wish u the best. i think trust is more important than a lie. a know about business side of things,but i dont see indiana going anywhere . just think dumars got rid of carlisle and bird canned thomas is that something later.

[Swoosh]

I don't know what happened in detroit but for all i know carlisle is a great coach, and trouble with the players? Look what he did with a team without a real superstar(no big ben aint a superstar, only a superdefender), he did a terrific job imo, indiana should consider itself lucky that they can carlisle imho(but if he wasnt available thomas probably wouldnt have been sacked)

[paseo85]

thats your opinion dont compare him to phil jackson, lenny wilkins, larry brown, he's nothing compare to other great coaches, hes just a good coach please save your words. coaches comes a dime a dozen now days. hes good coach not a good coach that yet to proven. doc rivers a good coach alright theres a difference he shouldnt be considered a hall a famer yet thats for the greats ok. at least zeke can say he was one of the greatest player in the game and should not hold his head down. later.

[paseo85]

then again it aint about just business its all politics baby.

[Matthew]

Yeah Carlisle is just "good" coach... a "good" coach who was the biggest reason that the pistions went from being 32-50 one season the year before he arrived and then 50-32 in his 1st season. Lets also forget he was coach of the year in his first year as head coach. Then last season he guided the pistons to the best record in the east and a berth in the conference finals.
These are facts and apart from coach poppovich in san antonio and phil jackson i think carlisle has had the best run in the pro's, great pick up for indy.

[paseo85]

still hes a good coach that all. dont pump him as awesome coach please what about dumars hes part of the winning so please. again indiana aint going anywhere there will be nothing be fiction. and money aint everything there must be some trust there buddy i personally wouldnt trust bird either or walsh. and coach of year award, is crap anyway just like the mvp award its sportswriter vote in that crap you ask the players and coaches around the league. if hes such a good coach why nobody wanted him remember bird and carlisle are great friends remember that and when bird step down as coach he wanted carlisle as the coach to take his place anyway its all politics dude that all. it doesnt matter because philly nj boston det i dont think they can beat even toronto later

[Colin]

One quick point, didn't Larry re-join the team after Jermaine re-signed and wasn't part of the "we'll keep Zeke" agreement?

[wangster]

One quick point, didn't Larry re-join the team after Jermaine re-signed and wasn't part of the "we'll keep Zeke" agreement?

He definitely knew about it though, and I don't think what he did was good for Indiana what with their best player now very upset and their whole system having to start from scratch under a new coach. I do hope O'neal will get traded and I don't care which team as long as it's at least 1000 miles away from Artest.

[Vins15]

One quick point, didn't Larry re-join the team after Jermaine re-signed and wasn't part of the "we'll keep Zeke" agreement?

hey itz all business...u can't rely almost anyone about business sumbody would do everything for business...and besides...almost everybody know that Bird hates Thomas...so there is no reason that Bird will keep him..

[#12]

I wonder what Reggie Miller would do about this

[Andrew]

Ric Bucher has offered his opinion of the situation: The real reason why Larry fired Isiah

Seems fair enough, and Carlisle is a good coach. But while the move may not be terrible in terms of Xs and Os, it's not good for player morale. No one on the Pacers' roster seems to be supporting the move, even if they aren't necessarily opposing it. In particular, Jermaine O'Neal, their best player, is not happy with the decision having been assured Thomas would still be around.

It should have been handled differently. Players need to bend to the will of the team most of the time, but they can't always be treated like pieces of meat. O'Neal has signed a long term deal, but constant trade demands could get him out of there.

Most importantly, the way a team deals with its players is hardly a secret. Why did the Bulls have so much trouble recruiting top free agents when they had plenty of cap space? The reputation of Jerry Krause's treatment of the Bulls players, especially Scottie Pippen, outweighed the amount of money the Bulls were willing to spend.

Indiana, nor any team for that matter, can afford to gain a reputation as an organisation that double-crosses free agents. They can't be known as the team who promises key free agents something, but doesn't follow through once the player has been locked up with a long term deal.

Perhaps I'm suggesting the situation is a little worse than it really is, but it's how teams develop bad reputations. If the Lakers' offseason has proven nothing else, it's that big names will take big pay cuts to play for the team of their choice. That means a lot of cash need not guarantee a big name free agent.

Players who are in demand are aware of the interest. If they are willing to take a pay cut, they can easily turn down the offers of teams that have the cap room but also a reputation for mistreating or being dishonest to their players.

[Swoosh]

first of all passeo, i wasnt comparing carlisle to anybody , and u have your opinion, no problem, i just think he is a good coach, and it's better then havin' a sucky coach , but i get ur point, and idd it wasnt a good move by the management(bird ), cuz thomas was really popular but the fact remains they didnt get past round 1(2?)for a cuple of years now,while they have more potential and maybe the change could be good, u never know

[CHAMP23]

This is a tragic situation and I certainly have lost respect for Larry Bird. Put yourself in Jermaine O'Neal's situation. This will hurt deeply and will not be forgotten. Expect constant trade demands.

However, I think Carlisle is a great X & Os coach and makes his guys work hard, so overall it will probably work out for Indiana in the court. From the outside, I always had the impression that Zeke was a likable type of coach who would get along well with his younger players. I'm not surprised by O'Neal's demands, and I think Artest would feel inclined to support Zeke too.

Although, Bird may have expected O'Neal to demand a trade if he fired Zeke after the signing. So while he waited for O'Neal to sign, he may have also planning to trade O'Neal (because he knows Zeke's departure will cause disharmony). O'Neal may want to be traded, but Bird may be all for it too.

[Swoosh]

o'neal already stated that he would be a professionel and do his job, wether he likes the decision or not, and that's just , he really matured

[Andrew]

That is indeed an admirable attitude for O'Neal to have. Hopefully that loyalty will be rewarded, or at least acknowledged by the Pacers. As I said before, teams cannot afford to gain bad reputations.

[paseo85]

i too going by oneal point of view. inorder for a team to be a team there has to be trust. and its not all on bird the owner just much of the blame. as the doing any better it yet be seen. i still say if minnie dont make it again past the first round flip should go. he had plenty of chances.just think phil jackson and didnt win for a few yrs until later. i think the pacers was a good pt guard away of being in the final they need good point guard thats i good leader payton sure would help last yr.

[bballer22]

not only that, but he fired Thomas when all the coaching jobs have been taken, i mean if he would have doen it earlier then maybe thomas would be bucks coach??!!

[Andrew]

I don't think Thomas would necessarily have been a candidate for the Bucks job. I don't think the move was made this late to prevent Thomas from getting another head coaching job.