Bird tells Pacers to plan for his departure

J.R. · Apr 26, 2012

Pacers president Larry Bird wants owner Herb Simon to plan for his departure after the season and has told several friends in the NBA that he's decided to leave, two people familiar with the situation told CBSSports.com Thursday.

Bird, 55, had an agreement with Simon to remain team president through the end of the season and decide his future then. The Hall of Famer has been clear in conversations with friends that Simon does not need to wait any longer before formally considering candidates to replace him, one of the sources said.

Bird is said to be "100 percent" certain he's leaving after the most successful season of the Pacers' post-Palace brawl rebuilding, one of the sources said, but has been extremely guarded publicly about his intentions. The Pacers (42-24) have been one of the surprise teams of the lockout-shortened season, securing the No. 3 seed in the East and hosting the Magic in the first round beginning Saturday.

...

Which approach Simon takes in planning for a post-Bird front office will be interesting. The owner has been pleased with the progress under Bird and GM David Morway, and former Trail Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard has been a positive addition to the front office. Morway also has a contract that expires after the season, and Pritchard has an open-ended agreement.

Former Pacers president Donnie Walsh, who has received permission from the Knicks to speak with other teams about front-office positions, would be a natural fit to lead the front office if Simon opts to stay the course with the existing structure beneath Bird. Walsh, 71, is said to want to explore a possible return to the Pacers before entertaining other GM openings.

Bird has been the Pacers' president since 2003, when he shared the decision-making responsibilities with Walsh until Walsh left to become Knicks president in 2008. Walsh had been in the Pacers' front office since 1986, leading Indiana to 16 playoff appearances in 17 years.
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http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/k...ives-simon-go-ahead-to-plan-for-his-departure

A_3PO · Apr 26, 2012

Good time for him to leave. The Pacers are solid.

Dei · Apr 26, 2012

How long have the Pacers been in obscurity?

what · Apr 26, 2012

Wholly crap, I'm closer in age to bird than I am to Blake Griffin. Chit!

gah · Apr 26, 2012

what said: ↑

Wholly crap, I'm closer in age to bird than I am to Blake Griffin. Chit!
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I think you should be thankful for being closer in health to Griffin than to Bird. I don't know exactly what his condition is but I guess he's stepping down for those reasons, as he did when he was a coach. I Miss watching him remain emotionless after something remarkable has been done on the court. Can't think of too many player legends who have had as much success after retiring.

CantBeRight · Apr 26, 2012

Another legend making his departure

Im gonna miss u Larry, my first favorite player

calurker · Apr 26, 2012

NBA Dish topic in 20 years: "Would Larry Bird be a scrub president in today's NBA?"

J.R. · May 7, 2012

Trying to tie together what's going on in Indy and Portland:

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports told John Canzano on 750 AM The Game in a Monday afternoon interview that the Portland Trail Blazers are dealing with "rejection" in their ongoing search for a new general manager.

...

So they settle for a No. 2 guy?

"Yeah, that's who I think it will end up being. An assistant GM, a number two guy somewhere.

"It was reported out there about David Morway from Indiana. He's very good. I think Indiana - that's a good model for a lot of teams. The way they built that Pacers team, through the draft, some smart trades. That Pacers group, when you look where those guys were picked - I can't give Indiana enough credit. When you're picking in that 10-11 to 17-18 range, you don't get many impact players, and they have. They've put together a good group, a playoff team, drafting not in great spots. From Roy Hibbert to Danny Granger to Tyler Hansbrough, the George Hill trade was tremendous. I think David Morway would be a good GM for Portland. For me, it's how much more rejection are they willing to take publicly?

"There is some uncertainty in Indiana. Larry Bird is probably going to leave at the end of this season. There's a very good chance Donnie Walsh returns to Indiana. Reggie Miller is a possibility in Indiana to run it. The owner in Indiana [Herb Simon], I don't think it's any fault of David Morway, he's always liked the big names. I do think it makes it possible for Morway, who is a number two there, Portland would be attractive to him because it would be security."
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http://www.blazersedge.com/2012/5/7/3006161/wojnarowski-blazers-dealing-with-rejection-in-gm-search

Reggie Miller to Indy to run it!
I probably shouldn't assume anything or jump to any conclusions.

daywalker02 · May 7, 2012

lol.... Pacers have a equivalent name of Muray
David Murway.....

J.R. · May 7, 2012

daywalker02 said: ↑

lol.... Pacers have a equivalent name of Muray
David Murway.....
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David Morway not to be confused with Daryl Morey

Wonder what other names Pacers fans have for him, ha.

Shroopy2 · May 7, 2012

"It was reported out there about David Morway from Indiana. He's very good.
--
They've put together a good group, a playoff team, drafting not in great spots. From Roy Hibbert to Danny Granger to Tyler Hansbrough, the George Hill trade was tremendous. I think David Morway would be a good GM for Portland. For me, it's how much more rejection are they willing to take publicly?
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Moreys evil doppelganger coming to the West. To pick back up on the Rockets ****-blocking that Kevin Pritchard left

T-Slack · May 7, 2012

I never got why Bird left coaching a year removed from being in the finals and now the Pacers have finally turn the corner he leaves again. He's a weird cat.

J.R. · Jun 8, 2012

So, scratch all of that above.

Looks as if Bird will return, current GM David Morway will be kicked to the curb* and Kevin Pritchard will take over as new Pacers GM.

*Morway's contract actually expired, according to the OP.

As Larry Bird finalizes his deal to continue as Indiana Pacers president, he plans to elevate Kevin Pritchard to become the franchise’s general manager, multiple league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Pritchard has become a favorite of Bird’s since his hiring as the Pacers' director of player personnel a year ago. Pritchard’s promotion will spell the end of David Morway’s successful tenure as GM, sources said.

Despite joining the organization as a subordinate to Morway, Pritchard rapidly usurped power and influence since his hiring a year ago, league sources said. Pacers owner Herb Simon and Morway were wary of bringing Pritchard into the organization, sources said, but Bird trusts Pritchard’s counsel and has pushed for this change.

Bird still has to finalize a deal with Simon for Pritchard’s promotion to be made official.
Pritchard had a modestly successfully, but tumultuous three-year run as the Portland Trail Blazers' GM from 2007-10. He drafted LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy and Nic Batum, but also had some first-round picks – that cost the Blazers millions of dollars to acquire – never pan out. Pritchard’s self-aggrandizing management style alienated those inside and outside the Blazers organization and ultimately led to owner Paul Allen firing him on draft night in 2010.

In some ways, Pritchard is best known for jumpstarting the Oklahoma City Thunder’s rise to prominence in the Western Conference after he chose Greg Oden over Kevin Durant with the first pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. Landing Durant turned out to be a seminal moment for the freshly crowned 2012 Western Conference champions.

The Pacers' move is largely baffling to league executives who believe Morway played a significant part in the franchise's rise to contention in the Eastern Conference this season. Morway helped replenish the Pacers through the draft and trades. Indiana lost in six games to the Miami Heat in the East semifinals.
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Carl Herrera · Jun 8, 2012

The man who stole Brandon Roy from us?

Ashes · Jun 8, 2012

Usurper!

J.R. · Jun 8, 2012

Carl Herrera said: ↑

The man who stole Brandon Roy from us?
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Yeah, that man.

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