Pacers fire head coach Bjorkgren

The Indiana Pacers fired head coach Nate Bjorkgren, the team announced Wednesday.

"The 2020-21 season was not what any of us hoped or anticipated it would be, and our results on the court certainly did not meet the standards for what our organization and our fans have come to expect," Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in a statement.

Pritchard added, "While we do not have a definite timetable for our search, we will move quickly to identify candidates who will make our team and our organization stronger."

Bjorkgren, who previously served as an assistant with the Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors, met with Pacers management Tuesday before the team informed him of his dismissal Wednesday, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The first-year head coach was reportedly on the hot seat for over a month due to his strained relationships with Pacers players and staff.

Indiana is expected to seek out a more experienced head coach as his replacement, according to Wojnarowski. Former Portland Trail Blazers bench boss Terry Stotts is among those being considered, sources told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.

The Pacers qualified for the play-in tournament as the Eastern Conference's ninth seed with a 34-38 record but weren't able to overcome the Washington Wizards to clinch a playoff spot.