After a first round exit for the Indiana Pacers following their 89-84 loss against the second-seeded Toronto Raptors, team president Larry Bird heads into another offseason evaluating the future of the Pacers moving forward.
And it’s possible that head coach Frank Vogel might not be a part of the Pacers’ plans in the near future.
It’s well-known that Bird has not been happy with Indiana’s output on offense the last couple of years under Vogel’s watch. As the league gears towards quicker, high-powered offenses, Bird remains undecided as to whether Vogel, whose contract expires this year, will be brought back.
“It’s no secret — I want us to score more points,” Bird told the IndyStar on Monday.
Bird has since stated he will make a decision after meeting with Pacers owner Herb Simon by conference call, but has not arranged said call with the owner yet.
“He’s busy, so it could be a week or it could be tomorrow,” Bird said early Monday evening. “What I don’t want to do is leave Frank hanging — there’s other jobs out there he could get.”
Vogel has been praised as one of the NBA’s strongest defensive-minded coaches, as his time with the Indiana Pacers have produced some of the league’s strongest defensive teams. But too often, the Pacers have fallen short in the playoffs, as the team’s lack of consistent offensive output always seems to fail them in the end.
The team has since shifted the roster towards playing a faster, up-tempo style of offense, and Vogel has stated that he has been more comfortable coaching since making that transition.
By the same token, Bird is left wondering whether Vogel is the guy that can take the Pacers’ offense where he wants it to go. Scoring 84 points in the loss didn’t quite cut it for the team president either.
“Hey, that’s on the guys,” Bird said. “They’ve got to make plays. George Hill (19 points) played well, Monta Ellis scored (15) points, Paul George (26 points) did what he does. But who’s that other guy?”
The Pacers are certainly in an interesting position now that their offseason has officially begun. While the Pacers have had their struggles on offense, Vogel remains one of the top coaches in the NBA and would be a hot candidate were he to hit the open market.
Of course, the question also lies as to just who Indiana would hire as an upgrade over an established coach like Vogel. With pieces like George, Ellis, and the promising Myles Turner, it is not as if the Pacers do not have the tools to succeed. If they do decide to let Vogel walk, Indiana should quickly become an attractive position for coaching candidates.
