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Pacers hire Carlisle as head coach on reported 4-year, $29M deal

Jeff Haynes / National Basketball Association / Getty

The Indiana Pacers are hiring Rick Carlisle as their next head coach on a four-year, $29-million contract, ESPN's Tim MacMahon reports.

Carlisle, who recently resigned as Dallas Mavericks head coach after 13 seasons, served as the Pacers' bench boss from 2003-07. He also worked as an assistant for three seasons under Larry Bird in Indiana from 1997-2000.

"It's a team of skilled, unselfish guys that play hard. It's always possible that moves could be made before the season, but I think (general manager Kevin Pritchard) and I are both very excited about getting the roster healthy and seeing what this team can be," Carlisle told MacMahon of the Pacers squad he's inheriting.

Indiana is bringing on Carlisle to replace Nate Bjorkgren, who was fired after just one season on the job.

Carlisle has established himself as one of the NBA's premier coaches, registering an 836-689 record (.548 winning percentage) across 19 seasons. He won an NBA championship with the Mavericks in 2011, and he also earned a ring as a player with the Boston Celtics in 1986.

The 61-year-old had two years remaining on his contract with the Mavericks when he resigned. Dallas could've sought compensation from another team looking to hire Carlisle but reportedly won't do so, as Mavericks owner Mark Cuban didn't want to hinder the coach's ability to land a new job.

Indiana finished ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 34-38 record this season.

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