The Indiana Pacers are moving on from head coach Nate Bjorkgren.
The team today announced that Bjorkgren will not return as the team's head coach for the 2021-22 NBA season after serving just one season at the helm in Indiana.
The Indiana Pacers announced that Nate Bjorkgren will not be retained as the team’s head coach.
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 9, 2021
More info:https://t.co/2d2BIaO1W5
In an official statement, Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard said that "the 2020-21 season was not what any of us hoped or anticipated it would be, and our results on the court certainly did not meet the standards for what our organization and our fans have come to expect."
Bjorkgren, who was hired as Indiana's head coach in October of 2020, led the team to a 34-38 record during the 2020-21 season, good for the East's ninth seed and a spot in the inaugural Play-In Tournament.
After a blowout victory over the Charlotte Hornets in the Nine-Ten Game, the Pacers were eliminated from playoff contention after a loss to the Washington Wizards in the second game of the tournament. 2021 marks the first time since 2015 that Indiana failed to qualify for the NBA Playoffs.
Bjorkgren, who took over as the Pacers lead man after two seasons as an assistant with the Toronto Raptors, is expected to serve as an assistant under Nick Nurse with the Canadian Senior Men's National Team as it looks to qualify for the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Given the recent staff changes with the Raptors, Bjorkgren could be brought back to reprise his role under Nurse, with whom he has had a working relationship since 2007.
With Bjorkgren's dismissal, there are now four vacant head coaching positions, with Indiana joining the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Portland Trail Blazers as franchises in search of new leadership on the sidelines.
Stick with NBA.com for more updates regarding the coaching carousel in the 2021 offseason.
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