Pacers owner Herb Simon has decided to keep Larry Bird around as team president.
It took a few weeks for the Pacers to get around to making this decision, but they finally got there and announced it on Tuesday.
“I’m quite pleased with the success we experienced this past season and pleased with the direction our team is going. I’m glad Larry is staying to help us continue in the positive direction we are going,” Simon said in a released statement.
Bird also made a comment in that statement.
“The past few months have been the most enjoyable since I took over as President of Basketball Operations. To see our young players develop, to see us make the playoffs and then to see us compete in a hard-fought series with Chicago are indications we are headed in the right direction and it has made me even more determined to help this team improve further and go to the next level.”
The Pacers jelled under interim coach Frank Vogel, who very well may not be interim soon. The Pacers finished the season on a 20-18 run and pushed the Bulls hard in the first round of the playoffs.
But there is still a lot of work for Bird to do. This team has a good number two star in Danny Granger and a number of good role players – but now it needs the ace. The hardest part to get. Especially when you’re not a team at the top of the lottery or in a large market that can draw free agents. Larry Bird has some real work ahead of him.
