Frank Vogel Out As Pacers Coach; Larry Bird Says Kevin McHale Won’t Replace Him
The Indiana Pacers will be in the market for a new bench boss this summer.
Pacers president Larry Bird announced Thursday the team won’t renew head coach Frank Vogel’s contract, which expired at the end of this season.
Larry Bird: "Frank’s not getting fired, his contract is up and I just made the decision not to renew it."
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 5, 2016
Bird: "My experience is good coaches leave after three years…I don't think Frank lost locker room, I think at times players don't listen."
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) May 5, 2016
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Bird said Frank Vogel is "a great man. A great leader. He will do fine. He’s the real deal. He’s a good man."
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 5, 2016
Vogel took over as Pacers head coach midway through the 2010-11 season. He led Indiana to playoff appearances in five of his six seasons and reached consecutive Eastern Conference finals in 2013 and 2014.
Since 2011, same year Vogel started coaching Pacers, only Heat & Bulls have had better win % in Eastern Conference. pic.twitter.com/InJbvsiwEL
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 5, 2016
Bird told reporters Vogel attempted to convince the team to retain him during a phone conversation Friday morning, but the Boston Celtics great was unmoved by the coach’s requests.
So, Indiana’s now turns to finding Vogel’s replacement. Kevin McHale, Bird’s former Celtics teammate and a former head coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets, was mentioned as a potential candidate, but the Pacers boss was quick to squash that idea.
Bird: Kevin McHale won’t be a candidate: “I would not do that to Kevin, to have him work for me. That’s not fair. I respect him too much."
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) May 5, 2016
The Pacers finished seventh in the Eastern Conference this season and fell to the Toronto Raptors in seven games in the opening round of the NBA playoffs.
Thumbnail photo via Dan Hamilton/USA TODAY Sports Images
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