Indiana Pacers Exec Larry Bird isn’t quite sure about Frank Vogel’s coaching future with the team as the latter’s contract expires in the offseason.
Advertisement
After five-and-a-half years leading the Indiana Pacers, Frank Vogel is out as head coach.
As a result, when team President Larry Bird announced that Vogel would not be return for the 2016-17 season Thursday, no one was really surprised. Bird said he believes it’s time for a new voice to lead the Pacers, keeping with his long-held philosophy on short shelf lives for coaches. “I just decided we need a new voice”. Pacers coach Frank Vogel, who grew up in South Jersey an admirer of Phil Jackson, is on shaky ground after losing Game 7 on Sunday night in Toronto to seal a first-round playoff exit.
Bird said he did not talk to any players before making the decision.
Vogel has a 250-181 record with the Pacers (.580 winning percentage) in the regular season, and 28-26 record in the playoffs.
“We’ll do what’s necessary to get the right guy”, Bird said.
Vogel, who worked his way up the ranks from being a video coordinator with the Boston Celtics, took over as interim coach of the Pacers in January 2011 when Jim O’Brien was sacked. Vogel’s name has been linked to other jobs, most notably the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets. He hired Brian Shaw as his Pacers associate coach because he wanted to learn from a Zen Master disciple.
It has been just over three weeks since Randy Wittman was let go as Wizards head coach. You can cross Kevin McHale off the list, as Bird said he won’t be hiring his former teammate as head coach.
The Pacers announced Thursday they would not retain Vogel, and Jackson’s trip was planned well before Vogel’s job was known to be in jeopardy.
Advertisement
“I would not do that to Kevin, have him work for me”. This is one of the top-flight organizations in the National Basketball Association and I truly enjoyed every minute I spent as the leader of this group of men.
