On August 20 , the Indiana Pacers officially announced that head coach Rick Carlisle has reached a multi-year contract extension with the team. The 65- year-old coach led the Pacers to their most memorable campaign in nearly 25 years last season, returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000 .

In the 2024-25 season, the Pacers finished fourth in the Eastern Conference with 50 wins. In the playoffs, they eliminated the Bucks and Cavaliers, and then defeated the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the Finals. Core point guard Tyrese Haliburton performed brilliantly, hitting many clutch shots and becoming a symbol of the dark horse miracle.

In the Finals, the Pacers lost to the 68 -win Thunder in seven games, missing their first championship. Unfortunately, Haliburton suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in Game 7 and will miss the entire season, casting a shadow over the team's future. Meanwhile, long-time center Myles Turner left for the Milwaukee Bucks this summer, adding further uncertainty to the roster.

Despite this, the Pacers retained most of their core roster, and Carlisle's contract extension was seen as crucial to stabilizing the team's morale. A veteran NBA coach, he won a championship with the Celtics as a player and, as a coach, led the Mavericks to a 2011 title against the Heat's Big Three. Carlisle's relationship with the Pacers dates back to 2003. Since returning to Indianapolis in 2021 , he has been gradually rebuilding the team, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in each of the past two seasons and achieving a breakthrough last season. His total playoff wins now stand at 81 , ranking tenth all-time.

The Pacers' move is not only a recognition of Carlisle, but also a declaration of confidence in the future. Despite facing injuries and roster adjustments in the new season, the team will continue to impact the Eastern Conference stage under his coaching and launch a new pursuit of the first championship in franchise history.