Indiana Pacers Could Hire Mark Jackson As Next Head Coach


The Indiana Pacers decided to not renew head coach Frank Vogel’s contract and will now search for a new head coach. Larry Bird made it clear that this was an incredibly difficult decision for him to make, but he also said that he believes the decision is in the best interest of the franchise.

Vogel helped make the Pacers a serious contender in the Eastern Conference. He took over after Jim O’Brien was fired and completely changed the culture of the organization. Now, changing the culture is no longer enough, and Indiana is looking to find a coach with a stronger voice and better offensive system.

One potential head coaching candidate to keep an eye on is former Golden State Warriors’ head coach and Pacers’ player Mark Jackson.

Jackson would make a lot of sense for the Pacers if Bird decides he wants to play an up-tempo style of offense. He was the coach who started the turnaround for the Warriors before being fired in a controversial way. Golden State wouldn’t be where they were without Jackson, and Bird noted that in his press conference about Vogel’s firing.

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Couple his coaching experience with the fact that he played a good portion of his career with the Pacers and it seems like a match made in heaven for both sides.

Throughout the nearly three seasons that Jackson coached the Warriors, he showed major progress. He ended his tenure in Golden State with a 121-109 record and led the team to the playoffs in his final two seasons. While he didn’t win a championship, he was still able to help mold Stephen Curry into the player he is today.

Mark Jackson could become the Indiana Pacers' head coach.
[Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images]

Bird is also expected to show interest in a handful of other candidates. He isn’t going to make a quick decision, but Jackson certainly sounds better than other names that have come up.

Brian Shaw is a former Pacers’ assistant coach who has been mentioned as a potential candidate, while current assistant Nate McMillan is also rumored to be an option. Former Phoenix Suns’ head coach Jeff Hornacek has been mentioned as well, while current Chicago Bulls’ lead assistant Jim Boylen is also a possibility.

Even though all of those options would be solid, adding a coach like Jackson would be a bigger move.

At 51-years-old, Jackson is likely very interested in returning to the sidelines. He has made a name for himself as a top-notch commentator, but the right situation would force him to make the move from the booth once again. Indiana is likely one of those situations that would force Jackson to seriously consider.

Could Mark Jackson become the Pacers' next head coach?
[Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images]

Paul George and Myles Turner are two of the brightest young players in the game. Add in the fact that the Pacers have Monta Ellis and a handful of other solid role players and many coaches would be interested in taking the job.

Jackson would also be able to work directly with the point guard position, which has been a major issue for the Pacers in recent history.

All of that being said, Jackson seems to make perfect sense for the Pacers as a replacement for Vogel. He will likely get an interview with Bird at the very least, but he has a lot of competition to beat out. Indiana fans would certainly welcome him back home with open arms, and it would be very entertaining to see the two sides work something out.

Do you think that Mark Jackson would be a good fit for the Indiana Pacers to replace Frank Vogel? Let us know in the comment box below!

[Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images]

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