Rick Carlisle isn’t minding the murmurs about his next position and commitment to the Indiana Pacers franchise.
As such, he denied any rumors that he’ll transfer from the team’s coaching seat to the front office, a speculation that has been swirling within the Indiana brass for the past few days.
“I came here to coach,” Carlisle clarified in front of the press, per team insider Michael Preston. “I want to put this to rest once and for all.
“Let me be absolutely clear. I’m here to coach this team and coach this team for the long-haul. I’m not afraid of any aspect of a rebuild one bit. Not one single bit.”
Upon his shocking exit from the Dallas Mavericks after 13 years of partnership, Carlisle’s return to Indiana this season has been an unexpected move. After the team failed to significantly breach and compete within the playoff picture by a wide margin earlier this season, they opted for a soft rebuild last February — trading away two-time All-star Domantas Sabonis and other key assets.
But the acquisition of wonder guard Tyrese Haliburton and sharpshooter Buddy Hield is big-time moves to consider, especially for the contention and development of the ball club for years to come. Certainly, molding Haliburton as the franchise cornerstone is an enticing job to handle for the veteran tactician.
With the Pacers officially eliminated from any playoff contention, Carlisle and the whole management remains focused on what lies ahead.
