Head coach Nate McMillan and the Indiana Pacers have come to terms on a contract extension, according to multiple published reports. The deal will take him through the 2020-21 season.
After trading All-Star Paul George in the 2017 offseason, McMillan led the Pacers to a 48-win season (a six-win increase from the 2016-17 season) and the Eastern Conference's fifth seed. The Pacers went on to take the eventual Eastern Conference champion Cavaliers to seven games in the first round of the 2018 playoffs.
McMillan, 53, took over as head coach of the Pacers after the team decided to part ways with Frank Vogel in 2016. In his two seasons as head coach, Indiana has a record of 90-74 and has made the postseason in both years.
With the extension, McMillan will be at the helm through the 2020-21 season. With the young talent of Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner in addition to free agent acquisition Tyreke Evans, Indiana looks to establish itself a contender in the Eastern Conference.
Coach McMillan, who turns 54 on Friday (Aug. 3) was happy to discuss the newcomers to the roster and the summer league team in Las Vegas last month, but when I asked him about possibly landing this contract extension, which was expected, he declined to comment.
“We’ll always have conversations with people,” [laughs] Pritchard told VigilantSports.com a week later when asked whether it was a priority to extend McMillan’s deal.
“Nate and our coaches had a hell of a year last year. I already know Nate, I already know our coaches. I’m confident with them. They’re good people, they’re good human beings, they work their tails off. I’ve never seen a staff as diligent and as hard working as them. So, I have a lot of faith and trust in their ability long term.”
