Indiana Pacers coach Nate McMillan has agreed to a contract extension with the team as he prepares to lead Indiana to their fourth-straight playoff appearance.
McMillan had one year left on his current deal but now can rest easy knowing he has long-term security with the Pacers. The number of years on the extension has not yet been reported but according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the deal was finalized over the last few days.
The Pacers have had McMillan as their head coach for the last four years, and he has brought a level of consistent production to Indiana after Paul George left the team for the Oklahoma City Thunder. They have won at least 42 games in each of McMillan’s seasons with the team, though they have failed to get out of the first round under McMillan’s tenure.
This season, the Pacers are currently holding the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference and will likely face off against the Miami Heat in the first round. The team will need some top-notch coaching from McMillan, as All-Star Domantis Sabonis is rehabbing from a plantar fasciitis injury in his left foot, while Donovan Mitchell is still trying to find his form as he recovers from a torn quad tendon injury.
Before coaching, McMillan spent 12 years playing for the Seattle SuperSonics before joining the team as an assistant coach. McMillan eventually became Seattle’s head coach, then moved on to the Portland Trail Blazers and eventually was brought onto Indiana’s coaching staff as an assistant in 2013.
