Pacers offseason update #1

So the Miami Heat just beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in 5 games to clinch Lebron James’s first ever NBA title. Possibly the first of many to come.

The Indiana Pacers, on the other hand, have been relatively quiet since bowing out the second round to the eventual NBA champs. I know a lot of people were thinking maybe, just maybe, this Pacers team could have won it all this year, but now that the dust has settled you realize how far away they really are.

There’s not a lot happening, so apart from the 2011-2012 team and player reviews, I’ll be posting a summary update of what’s been happening with the Pacers this offseason.

Here’s the first.

• Larry Bird is most likely to be back as team president, though the official decision will not be made for a couple of weeks. 

• General manager David Morway is gone. It’s been reported that Morway has fallen out of favor with Bird and the two no longer have a relationship (whatever that means). Apparently, Morway is responsible for screwing up the deal that would hve landed OJ Mayo in Indiana for Josh McRoberts, as well as pushing the Pacers out of the running for Jamal Crawford.

• Morway is likely to be replaced with former Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard, who was hired as the Pacers’ director of player personnel in the 2011 offseason.

• Sources claim former Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh could be returning to the team in some capacity. Whatever the capacity, it will be a positive influence for the team.

• Roy Hibbert and George Hill have yet to be re-signed. Roy looks like he really wants to stay. He took fans from Area 55 to watch Prometheus. The big fella was also on a scavenger hunt segment on Jimmy Kemmel live with Jeremy Lin (video here).

• Associate head coach Brian Shaw missed out on a head coaching job with the Charlotte Bobcats. I have a feeling Shaw lucked out there. No one can save that team, not with the talent they’ve got on it right now. But what it means is that there is not a bigger chance Shaw will stay with the Pacers for another year. That’s great news.

• Pacers have the 26th pick in the upcoming NBA draft.