Pacers Hire Jim O'Brien as New Head Coach

[Razor Shines]

Pacers name Jim O’Brien coach
By Mike Wells
mike.wells@indystar.com
May 31, 2007

Jim O’Brien, former head coach of the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, was named coach of the Indiana Pacers today.
“After speaking with him the last 10 days, we have a vision of where we want this team to go, from how we are going to practice, to how we are going to play and the style we’re going to play,” team president Larry Bird said in a statement before a late afternoon news conference to introduce O’Brien.
O'Brien compiled a 182-158 record in five seasons as coach in Boston and Philadelphia.

His teams advanced to the playoffs three times, including 2002, when he guided the Celtics to the Eastern Conference finals.

The team fired Rick Carlisle on April 25. Since then, numerous possible replacements have been mentioned in reports.

Last week Stan Van Gundy, the former Miami Heat coach, told the Pacers he was not interested in the job.

The team also interviewed Chicago Bulls assistant Jim Boylan and previously spoke with assistant coaches Johnny Davis and Chuck Person, and Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw.

Admittedly I don't know much about O'Brien, but I'm pretty skeptical at this point. Is this the guy that's going to lead the Pacers back to NBA prominence? Again as of right now I have my doubts.

[WMR]

How old is Jermain O'Neal? What's his contract status? I'm sure it has a bunch to do with his supporting cast, but he's just never struck me as the type of player who can be a "centerpiece player" on a contending team.

[Razor Shines]

How old is Jermain O'Neal? What's his contract status? I'm sure it has a bunch to do with his supporting cast, but he's just never struck me as the type of player who can be a "centerpiece player" on a contending team.

He's 28 and signed through 09-10, but can opt out after next season. Honestly, I hope they trade Jermaine and try to get a couple quality young guys, but with his contract that is probably going to be pretty tough.

[T7-niner]

Why oh why did the Pacers give up a draft pick for Harrington? Bird should be feeling some heat for that move. Actually, I probably wouldn't be too upset if Donnie would've gave him the boot along with Carlisle.

I'm in the same boat as you, Razor. I don't know too much about JimO. Yes, I called him JimO!

[Heath]

Dear Indianapolis -

He still can't coach,

Love,
Dayton Flyer Fans.

[Razor Shines]

Why oh why did the Pacers give up a draft pick for Harrington? Bird should be feeling some heat for that move. Actually, I probably wouldn't be too upset if Donnie would've gave him the boot along with Carlisle.

I'm in the same boat as you, Razor. I don't know too much about JimO. Yes, I called him JimO!

Yeah, I didn't like Harrington the first time they had him, and I really didn't want them to get him back. They'd have a chance to get a pretty nice player with the 11th pick this year. I'm sure at the time they made that deal they expected to have a 20th or higher pick.

[T7-niner]

Yeah, I didn't like Harrington the first time they had him, and I really didn't want them to get him back. They'd have a chance to get a pretty nice player with the 11th pick this year. I'm sure at the time they made that deal they expected to have a 20th or higher pick.

True. Hindsight is always 20/20...I just really didn't want them to go get him again. That coupled with the trade that sent him & Jack to Golden State, really stunk and that's putting it nicely.

[jimbo]

Admittedly I don't know much about O'Brien, but I'm pretty skeptical at this point. Is this the guy that's going to lead the Pacers back to NBA prominence? Again as of right now I have my doubts.

The thing that stands out the most to me about O'Brien is how he ran the University of Dayon program into the ground back in the early 1990's.

He worked a lot as an assistant under Rick Pitino with the Knicks, Celtics, and the UK. I think he's a decent NBA coach, but his days as a head college coach were less than memorable.

[UKFlounder]

His record at Boston was better than the guys immediately before him and immediately following him. His time at Dayton really means nothing it was so long ago, and not in the NBA. He seems like a decent NBA coach and hire. He's certainly not a "sexy" name but he's a solid coach. Fairly average hire I would call it - not bad, but nothing to really get excited about either.

[captainmorgan07]

i dunno but something in me doesn't like this hire i think there are better candidates out there maybe former bucks coach terry porter or maybe they shoulda made a run at mike ivaroni they interview stan van gundy but he turned it down

[UKFlounder]

i dunno but something in me doesn't like this hire i think there are better candidates out there maybe former bucks coach terry porter or maybe they shoulda made a run at mike ivaroni they interview stan van gundy but he turned it down

Ivaroni, possibly, but I don't see what Porter has done to make himself a better candidate than O'Brien. I think that would have been another fairly mundane hiring as well, though I admit I don't follow the Pacers closely, so I'm only basing my opinion on what I think abou the guys, and don't know if either would be a better fit for Indy (the city or the team as constituted)

[chicoruiz]

The frustrating thing about the Pacers is that if they'd listen to Joe Fan they'd be in a much better position. Everyone was clamoring for Artest to be dealt after the Palace At Auburn Hills debacle, but the Pacers were sure they could reform him. So they waited until he'd exposed himself as such a knucklehead that all they could get for him was a couple of months of Peja Stojakovic.

Last year, same thing. Everyone wanted them to dump Stephen Jackson before the season, but they assured us that they were the professionals and that we didn't understand the true situation. Sure enough, they ended up being so desperate to get rid of Jackson that they had to throw Harrington into a deal just to get someone to take him.

In my ideal world, I'd like to see Jermaine traded to the Lakers for Bynum, with some other parts added on bith sides to make the money work. But they'll end up waiting too long to pull the trigger, just like they always do.

[WVRed]

Lakers and Knicks are rumored for Jermaine O'Neal.

I'd imagine the Pacers would have to take back Lamar Odom to make it work. Perhaps Bynum and Odom in a deal?

Regardless, the Pacers need to rebuild.

[guttle11]

Dear Indianapolis -

He still can't coach,

Love,
Dayton Flyer Fans.

Amen, brother, amen.

The only saving grace from him is that it made beating his boy Pitino's team that much sweeter this year.

[George Anderson]

Why oh why did the Pacers give up a draft pick for Harrington? Bird should be feeling some heat for that move. Actually, I probably wouldn't be too upset if Donnie would've gave him the boot along with Carlisle.

!

Bird has made more more goofs than just the Harrington trade. Bird to the Pacers is similar to Dan O'Brien and Dick Wagner to the Reds, just not a good judge of talent.

The reality is as ho hum a pick that O'Brien is, he is the best coach the Pacers could get. What quality coach in his right mind would want to walk in to the situation Bird has put the Pacers in???