Pacers, Rick Carlisle Agree To Contract Extension After NBA Finals Run

2025 NBA Finals - Game One — Source: Matthew Stockman / Getty

Pacers, Rick Carlisle Agree to Contract Extension After NBA Finals Run

Following a breakthrough season capped by a deep playoff run, the Indiana Pacers have locked in one of their most important figures for the foreseeable future.

Reports confirm that head coach Rick Carlisle has agreed to a multi-year contract extension after guiding Indiana to their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years.

Carlisle, now in his second full season since returning to coach the Pacers in 2021, orchestrated a remarkable 2024–25 campaign.

Indiana compiled a 50–32 record, marking their first 50-win season since 2013–14.

En route to the Finals, they upset the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, toppled top-seeded Cleveland in the Conference Semifinals, and dispatched the New York Knicks in the Conference Finals.

Although the Finals ended in a hard-fought seven-game loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Carlisle’s leadership was widely credited for propelling the franchise to national relevance.

The extension underscores the Pacers’ commitment to continuity and the organizational culture Carlisle has rebuilt since his return.

Pacers president Kevin Pritchard’s earlier remarks at the time of his previous 2023 extension still ring true: Carlisle’s creativity and leadership are invaluable to the team’s trajectory.