HoopsHype.com Rumors

Hall of Famer Reggie Miller said this week that he has thought about working in the Pacers’ front office someday. President Donnie Walsh said he and the former Pacers great have never had a serious discussion about Miller joining the team. What would Walsh say if Miller asked his advice? “You’re not going to make as much money as you did as a player,” Walsh said laughing. “But you’ll make a good living and you have to really think everything out. This isn’t like where you have your first thought and then you go do it. You have to look at all the ramifications of everything you do ’cause it impacts the team, not just one person.” Indianapolis Star

Indiana Pacers, Donnie Walsh, Reggie Miller 

Scott Agness: Pacers execs Walsh, Pritchard, Dinwiddie, Ryan Carr (Dir. of Scouting), Dr. Carr (psychologist) in Chicago for pre-draft combine, per source Twitter @ScottAgness

Indiana Pacers, Draft, Kevin Pritchard, Donnie Walsh 

Jackson's long relationship with Brian Shaw, the Indiana Pacers assistant regarded as a top head-coaching candidate, also could factor into the search. Pacers president of basketball operations Donnie Walsh has said he would prefer his assistants not interview for other jobs during the postseason, but if Jackson happens to mention to Shaw that he thinks Detroit might be a good fit, and Dumars happens to agree, then the unconventional association between Jackson and the Pistons could pay substantive dividends. Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Brian Shaw, Donnie Walsh, Joe Dumars 

Donnie Walsh said he is unsure he will return as Pacers president next season and thinks here’s still a chance Larry Bird will unretire and retake the helm. Walsh, the 72-year-old former Knicks president, told The Post Sunday he recently asked Bird if he wants to come back and he’d be willing to step aside. Walsh still hasn’t heard an answer from Bird. New York Post

Indiana Pacers, Donnie Walsh, Larry Bird 

The names tossed around in Sunday’s media session included Jackson and Sloan, while a source shot down a report that Jeff Van Gundy is a top target — indicating there’s a “98% chance” the Nets don’t even meet with the TV analyst and former Knicks coach. Meanwhile, highly respected Pacers assistant Brian Shaw will be allowed to speak with the Nets after Indiana’s season concludes, team president Donnie Walsh told the Daily News. New York Daily News

Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, Brian Shaw, Donnie Walsh, Jeff Van Gundy 

“I think Brian would be great as a head coach," Walsh said Sunday. “Just as I thought Mark Jackson would be a tremendous coach, I feel the same way about Brian. They both know the game, you can tell they see it like head coaches. And they also know how to relate to players and get them to do what they need to be successful.” New York Daily News

Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, Brian Shaw, Donnie Walsh 

Stefan Bondy: Donnie Walsh tells News that he will allow Brian Shaw to talk to the Nets after Pacers season is done Twitter @NYDNInterNets

Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, Brian Shaw, Donnie Walsh 

This may be the offseason that Pacers associate head coach Brian Shaw finally gets the opportunity to be a head coach. But he may have to wait until the Pacers are out of the playoffs before he interviews for a job. Pacers President Donnie Walsh said he prefers for his assistant coaches to wait until after the playoffs to interview for openings. “I’m not saying I won’t change my mind, but that’s what I would like,” Walsh said. Walsh said he hasn’t been contacted by any teams asking for permission. Indianapolis Star

Indiana Pacers, Coaching, Brian Shaw, Donnie Walsh 

Mike Wells: No teams have contacted Indy to ask for permission to talk to B Shaw yet. Donnie Walsh's preference is to wait until they r done n playoffs Twitter @MikeWellsNBA

Indiana Pacers, Coaching, Brian Shaw, Donnie Walsh 

Mike Wells: Walsh added that his rule is not set in stone, but he prefer if his coaches wait until after they are done n playoffs to interview for jobs Twitter

Indiana Pacers, Coaching, Brian Shaw, Donnie Walsh 

Walsh, 72, said yesterday he isn’t sure he will be back next season. He said he only stepped in because Larry Bird needed a break. “I took this job because Larry wanted a year off,” Walsh said. “If Larry wants to come back, I’m out.’’ I’m leaving. If he doesn’t I don’t know what I’ll do.” Kevin Pritchard is Pacers GM. New York Post

Indiana Pacers, Kevin Pritchard, Donnie Walsh, Larry Bird 

A lot of eyebrows were raised with former All-Star Tracy McGrady sat courtside at Bankers Life Fieldhouse during Tuesday’s game against the Cavaliers. The Pacers front office is always looking, but President Donnie Walsh said they don’t plan to add an extra body to the roster before the playoffs. The Pacers have the maximum of 15 players on the roster, but Danny Granger (knee) is out for the rest of the season. The team would have to release a player if it changed its mind and added a player. Indianapolis Star

Indiana Pacers, Free Agency, Tracy McGrady, Donnie Walsh 

Mike Wells: To tell u how serious Indy was on making a deal, prez Donnie Walsh n GM Pritchard watched all of practice then they went their separate ways Twitter @MikeWellsNBA

Indiana Pacers, Trade, Kevin Pritchard, Donnie Walsh 

Mark Jackson came tantalizingly close to succeeding Isiah Thomas as Knicks coach in 2008, but the job instead went to Mike D’Antoni. “If I didn’t hire Mike, Mark was the next guy on my list,” said Indiana president Donnie Walsh, who was Knicks president and general manager back then. New York Post

Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Coaching, Mark Jackson, Donnie Walsh 

What kept Jackson, who was atop the list until D’Antoni emerged, from the job was an immediate Knicks’ future that appeared downright bleak. “Mark was definitely in the running. No doubt about it. Mike didn’t come in the picture until late,” Walsh recalled. “When I met with Mark, he was really high on my list and I’m thinking, ‘I would have no problem bringing this guy except it’s going to be difficult for him because we’re not going to have the talent until the third year.’ ” New York Post

Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Coaching, Mark Jackson, Donnie Walsh 

Moe was a genius with numbers and it helped him as a coach. He could be given two lines of five digits each verbally and multiply the two lines in his head. When he got his break to coach the Nuggets, it came at the expense of Walsh. The ties weren't set aside easily. "Donnie was a friend of mine," Moe said. "We had talked about the possibility of something happening so it wasn't a shock. It was hard." Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Coaching, Donnie Walsh, Doug Moe 

Walsh knows the Pacers can't replace Granger's points without a significant trade, and they're not in the position to make a move like that. "The guys people are talking about at the level of a Danny Granger, that's a major trade," Walsh said. "How are you going to get those players?" Indianapolis Star

Indiana Pacers, Trade, Danny Granger, Donnie Walsh 

Walsh is frustrated at how the Pacers have lost some of their games this season, but he's remaining patient. The Pacers have lost four games in the final 30 seconds of regulation this season. "You never like that, but what we have to do is focus," Walsh said. "It's very early in the season. I knew we were going to be playing a lot of games on the road early and then we had the Danny situation, too. "We're developing a playing style we can win at. If we lose that game, I'm going to feel good about it, still, because we're going in the right direction." Indianapolis Star

Indiana Pacers, Donnie Walsh 

Asked whether Hibbert is pressing to live up to his new $58-million contract, Walsh said, "I never approached it from that standpoint. We made the decision to keep him. . . . I think that he's struggling. I don't think it has anything do with the contract. "I do think this new style (on offense) will help, because when you walk the ball up the court and keep the ball on that same side of the court, it makes it easy to guard him. I feel like we're collectively getting better." Indianapolis Star

Indiana Pacers, Roy Hibbert, Donnie Walsh 

Walsh, now the president of basketball operations for Indiana, sat courtside Sunday as the Pacers played the Knicks at Madison Square Garden and witnessed the Knicks’ current roster up close. Even if he does not want, or even expect, credit for the Knicks’ recent success, Walsh knows that the decisions he made during his three years with the team have helped the Knicks improve. “I did what I said I would do and I was happy to be here,” Walsh said before the Knicks’ 88-76 victory over the Pacers. “I enjoyed it and I’m happy for the people of the city because I really felt the desire for New York fans to have a team like theirs now. I’m glad it’s come. I knew I wasn’t going to be here for the payoff.” New York Times

Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Donnie Walsh