Pacers Hire Former Grizzlies Coach After Surprise Departure

Jun 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle reacts to a call during the second half of game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

After an abrupt, reportedly mutual parting of ways, the Indiana Pacers have wasted little time in bringing in more reinforcements for head coach Rick Carlisle's bench.

Per a team press release, Carlisle will be reuniting with a former Dallas Mavericks-era assistant coach.

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That coach is Johnny Carpenter, who had served on the player development and scouting sides for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2024-25, alongside now-Pacers sharpshooting center Jay Huff.

That wasn't even Carpenter's first stint with Huff, as he had previously worked in various capacities at the University of Virginia — including as an assistant coach, director of player personnel, and basketball technology assistant — for nine seasons. Huff played for Virginia from 2017-21.

We have signed Johnny Carpenter to our coaching staff.

Welcome to Indy, Johnny 👋

Learn more: https://t.co/Pmsp1LpByQ pic.twitter.com/IE9cvx62NL

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) August 25, 2025

Carpenter worked as an assistant video coordinator with Dallas during the club's 2014-15 season under Carlisle.

It seems that Carter has been brought in to supplant the just-departed Mike Weinar, who surprisingly left Indiana on Friday.

He had previously been in the running for a gig as freshly hired New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown's lead assistant and the coordinator of his revamped offense, but supposedly had removed himself from consideration to stay with Carlisle, for him he had worked for 13 seasons.

We have mutually agreed to part ways with assistant coach Mike Weinar.

Thank you Coach Weinar 💙

Read more: https://t.co/MBuhiQUZTC pic.twitter.com/cqdHOjUZya

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) August 22, 2025

The Pacers also announced some hierarchical changes to their assistant coaches.

With Weinar gone, assistant coach Jim Boylen has been elevated to a role as one of Carlisle's three lead assistants on the front bench, next to Lloyd Pierce and Jenny Boucek.

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Indiana is coming off a pair of Eastern Conference Finals runs, plus a 2025 NBA Finals berth.

Carlisle, generally acknowledged as one of the best coaches in the league, has now led two entirely different rosters to the Finals. Across a 23-season career thus far, he boasts a 993-860 regular season record and an 86-87 postseason record.

Indiana, no doubt more than satisfied with Carlisle's work thus far, opted to sign the 65-year-old to a long-term contract extension this summer.

Carlisle, Carpenter and co. will have their work cut out for them in 2025-26. Two-time All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles tendon during the Finals and will miss the entire year, while starting center Myles Turner ditched the squad to join the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency.

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