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Nate McMillan begins implementing his plan for Pacers
Nate Taylor, nate.taylor@indystar.com 5:09 p.m. EDT June 10, 2016
A month into his new job, Indiana Pacers coach Nate McMillan has tried to find the right balance between continuity and change for his team. McMillan shared his excitement for next season Thursday and explained why this summer is a pivotal time for the players.
He has spent his summer working – and so have his players.
Thursday was the rare day since McMillan was promoted to head coach that he and his players enjoyed some time off. McMillan, Joe Young and Rakeem Christmas joined Paul George at Victory Field for the annual celebrity softball game. But before the game, McMillan, in his first public comments since his introductory news conference, said he has started to act upon a few of his goals and plans for the team.
“We want to work on a championship culture,” he said. “That’s what we’re going to bring here. We’ve had a few workouts, our coaches are in town and we have a few players in town getting some work in.”
So far, the culture McMillan has implanted has included several of the younger players on the team going through scheduled workouts with the coaching staff. Myles Turner, along with Young, Christmas and Glenn Robinson III have spent the most time in Bankers Life Fieldhouse to train and improve.
In the past few weeks, McMillan has conducted pre-draft workouts with former college players. When those workouts are over, McMillan and his staff transition into having Turner, Young, Christmas and Robinson go through individual and team-oriented drills. George and Shayne Whittington have also spent time in the arena working out.
Next to McMillan in those sessions have been assistants Dan Burke and Popeye Jones. When McMillan was promoted, President Larry Bird said he wanted to keep both men on the Pacers’ bench. McMillan confirmed Burke and Jones will be retained on his staff.
“I thought we did a good job (last year) and we had a good staff,” McMillan said. “I want to bring those guys back, so they will be with me.”
McMillan does have one assistant coach position to fill. A conventional thought could be that McMillan will hire an assistant with an offensive background since Burke, who will enter his 20th season with the Pacers next season, is known as a defensive guru and Jones is responsible for the improvement of Turner and other frontcourt players. McMillan, though, disagrees with such a notion.
“Offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “He’ll be a coach. In basketball, we coach. Most of the coaches coach both sides of the basketball and this guy be a guy who will be able to help both myself and our players. I had a couple guys, once it was decided that I will be coaching, in mind. We’ll hire somebody really good.”
McMillan said he has interviewed a few candidates in the past month and that the team is close to making a hire.
As for improving the Pacers’ roster, McMillan has had several conversations with Bird about how they plan to attract players in free agency. While offense has been a focal point for Bird in the past year, McMillan said the team will also target players who will help the Pacers achieve a deeper dominance on defense.
“We want to try to play up tempo and faster,” McMillan said. “We want to try and score more points and the focus will be defensively being better. Two years ago, we were a much better defensive team. I want to get back to us defending. Getting stops should be able to create opportunities to score more.”
One way the Pacers could improve next year is with a transformed Turner, who had a successful rookie season. McMillan has spent a lot of time getting Turner prepared for his next opportunity to grow and mature as a member of the USA men’s select team. Turner and other young players on the team will train against the USA Basketball men’s national team during its training camp July 18-21 in Las Vegas.
George, who is preparing to play for the national team in the Summer Olympics in August, has been impressed with what he has seen in Turner during the past month under McMillan.
“He looks like he’s taking a real commitment to his body and toning his body up,” George said Thursday. “He’s moving really well and I think this past year, that experience in the playoffs, has really sparked him and really motivated him to get better. You can tell by the way he’s working out. It makes my job (easier) and makes me happier and excited to come back to a new season.”
Yet McMillan understands all the Pacers, not just George and Turner, need to be prepared and in shape for next season. That means work, work, work for Young, Christmas, Whittington and Robinson, all of whom will play for the Pacers’ summer league team in Orlando in early July.
“You could tell there was a difference in the atmosphere in just his presence,” Christmas said Thursday of McMillan. “He’s very excited for next year. He’s a good coach, we know what he’s going to do and he had us doing some good things last year that was working. We’re going to do fine next year.”
Call IndyStar reporter Nate Taylor at (317) 444-6484. Follow him on Twitter: @ByNateTaylor.
Nate Taylor, nate.taylor@indystar.com 5:09 p.m. EDT June 10, 2016
A month into his new job, Indiana Pacers coach Nate McMillan has tried to find the right balance between continuity and change for his team. McMillan shared his excitement for next season Thursday and explained why this summer is a pivotal time for the players.
He has spent his summer working – and so have his players.
Thursday was the rare day since McMillan was promoted to head coach that he and his players enjoyed some time off. McMillan, Joe Young and Rakeem Christmas joined Paul George at Victory Field for the annual celebrity softball game. But before the game, McMillan, in his first public comments since his introductory news conference, said he has started to act upon a few of his goals and plans for the team.
“We want to work on a championship culture,” he said. “That’s what we’re going to bring here. We’ve had a few workouts, our coaches are in town and we have a few players in town getting some work in.”
So far, the culture McMillan has implanted has included several of the younger players on the team going through scheduled workouts with the coaching staff. Myles Turner, along with Young, Christmas and Glenn Robinson III have spent the most time in Bankers Life Fieldhouse to train and improve.
In the past few weeks, McMillan has conducted pre-draft workouts with former college players. When those workouts are over, McMillan and his staff transition into having Turner, Young, Christmas and Robinson go through individual and team-oriented drills. George and Shayne Whittington have also spent time in the arena working out.
Next to McMillan in those sessions have been assistants Dan Burke and Popeye Jones. When McMillan was promoted, President Larry Bird said he wanted to keep both men on the Pacers’ bench. McMillan confirmed Burke and Jones will be retained on his staff.
“I thought we did a good job (last year) and we had a good staff,” McMillan said. “I want to bring those guys back, so they will be with me.”
McMillan does have one assistant coach position to fill. A conventional thought could be that McMillan will hire an assistant with an offensive background since Burke, who will enter his 20th season with the Pacers next season, is known as a defensive guru and Jones is responsible for the improvement of Turner and other frontcourt players. McMillan, though, disagrees with such a notion.
“Offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “He’ll be a coach. In basketball, we coach. Most of the coaches coach both sides of the basketball and this guy be a guy who will be able to help both myself and our players. I had a couple guys, once it was decided that I will be coaching, in mind. We’ll hire somebody really good.”
McMillan said he has interviewed a few candidates in the past month and that the team is close to making a hire.
As for improving the Pacers’ roster, McMillan has had several conversations with Bird about how they plan to attract players in free agency. While offense has been a focal point for Bird in the past year, McMillan said the team will also target players who will help the Pacers achieve a deeper dominance on defense.
“We want to try to play up tempo and faster,” McMillan said. “We want to try and score more points and the focus will be defensively being better. Two years ago, we were a much better defensive team. I want to get back to us defending. Getting stops should be able to create opportunities to score more.”
One way the Pacers could improve next year is with a transformed Turner, who had a successful rookie season. McMillan has spent a lot of time getting Turner prepared for his next opportunity to grow and mature as a member of the USA men’s select team. Turner and other young players on the team will train against the USA Basketball men’s national team during its training camp July 18-21 in Las Vegas.
George, who is preparing to play for the national team in the Summer Olympics in August, has been impressed with what he has seen in Turner during the past month under McMillan.
“He looks like he’s taking a real commitment to his body and toning his body up,” George said Thursday. “He’s moving really well and I think this past year, that experience in the playoffs, has really sparked him and really motivated him to get better. You can tell by the way he’s working out. It makes my job (easier) and makes me happier and excited to come back to a new season.”
Yet McMillan understands all the Pacers, not just George and Turner, need to be prepared and in shape for next season. That means work, work, work for Young, Christmas, Whittington and Robinson, all of whom will play for the Pacers’ summer league team in Orlando in early July.
“You could tell there was a difference in the atmosphere in just his presence,” Christmas said Thursday of McMillan. “He’s very excited for next year. He’s a good coach, we know what he’s going to do and he had us doing some good things last year that was working. We’re going to do fine next year.”
Call IndyStar reporter Nate Taylor at (317) 444-6484. Follow him on Twitter: @ByNateTaylor.
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