Pacers' Carlisle says he's not moving to front office

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is denying rumors that he's making a move to the front office.

"I came here to coach. … I want to put this to rest once and for all," Carlisle said Thursday, according to Pacers vice president of basketball communications Michael Preston.

The denial follows months of "persistent speculation in league circles" that Carlisle intended to make the switch, reports Marc Stein.

Carlisle returned to the Pacers following 13 seasons as head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks won a championship in 2011, but Dallas failed to get past the first round in the next 10 seasons.

He was previously head coach of the Pacers from 2003-07, taking them to three straight playoff appearances in that stint.

"Let me be absolutely clear," Carlisle said Thursday. "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."

Indiana is 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 25-55 record. At the trade deadline, the Pacers reset their competitive timeline by sending All-Star Domantas Sabonis, Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, and a second-round pick in 2023 to the Sacramento Kings for Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Tristan Thompson.