Indiana Pacers tie down Rick Carlisle to multiyear contract extension after NBA Finals run

Rick Carlisle has turned the Pacers' Eastern Conference crown into long-term security. According to multiple reports, Indiana and their veteran head coach have reached terms on a fresh multiyear extension.

Carlisle has been the steady hand behind the Pacers' resurgence, taking them to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024 and all the way to the NBA Finals this past season, where they fell just short in a hard-fought seven-game clash with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The financials and exact length of his new deal haven't been disclosed, but context gives us a pretty clear picture. Carlisle originally inked a four-year deal in 2021 and picked up an extension in 2023. With this latest pact also labeled "multiyear," it's safe to say Indiana has locked up its head coach for the foreseeable future.

Rick Carlisle's second stint in Indiana didn’t exactly start with fireworks. In 2021-22, the Pacers stumbled to one of the roughest campaigns in team history, finishing just 25-57. But since then, it’s been a steady climb upward. The win total jumped to 35 in 2022-23, then 47 the following year, before hitting the 50-win mark this past season.

That growth has translated into playoff success as well. Under Carlisle’s watch, Indiana reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024 and then punched its ticket to the NBA Finals this year, the franchise's first trip back to the big stage since 2000.

Across both of his runs in Indiana, Carlisle has now compiled a 338-318 (.515) record in the regular season and a 41-34 (.547) mark in the postseason, reaching the playoffs in five of his eight years with the Pacers. Add in his time leading Detroit and Dallas, and the veteran coach brings 15 more seasons and nearly 1,200 games of experience to the table — a résumé few can match.

Needless to say, Carlisle played a massive role in reshaping the Pacers into contenders. He was the driving force behind bringing in stars like Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, while also helping Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard blossom into ideal complementary pieces who fit seamlessly into the team’s identity. Add to that a well-built bench, and Indiana became a squad known for its up-tempo, relentless style — one that always seemed to deliver the right play in crunch moments. They came agonizingly close to their first NBA title, only to fall just shy of the ultimate prize.

Looking ahead, the road gets trickier. Carlisle will have to navigate next season without Haliburton and Myles Turner, but given his track record, it’s hard to bet against him. If history is any indicator, he’ll find a way to keep the Pacers in the thick of the race.