Civil lawsuit involving Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle resolved, dismissal forthcoming

Carlisle has been Indiana's head coach since 2021
Oct 8, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle shown during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Oct 8, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle shown during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle was originally scheduled to be involved in a civil trial that would have taken place next April during the NBA playoffs, per a report from ESPN, but Pacers On SI has learned that will not be the case.

League sources indicated the reported case has been resolved, and a dismissal is forthcoming. ESPN's report now says the same, with author Tim MacMahon reporting that the civil lawsuit has been "resolved to the satisfaction of both parties."

According to the report, the trial involved Carlisle and former agent Jarinn Akana and related to a dispute about payments after Carlisle's contract was renegotiated with the Dallas Mavericks. Conduct Detrimental has more on the case here.

Marc Stein, then of the New York Times, reported in 2019 that Carlisle had his contract both renegotiated and extended before the 2018-19 season. The head coach stepped down from his role with the Mavericks in 2021 and was hired by the Pacers that same year.

ESPN's report says that Carlisle "issued a general denial of all the allegations," and that denial from Carlisle stated that the allegations were "not true in whole or in part."

Carlisle is entering his fourth season in his current term as the head coach of Indiana. He guided the team to the Eastern Conference Finals last year and received a contract extension at the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign. He's been with the Pacers for three different stints and has a 288-286 record guiding the blue and gold.


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Tony East
TONY EAST

Tony East is the Publisher of AllPacers. He has previously written for Forbes Sports, the West Indianapolis Community News, WTHR, and more while hosting the Locked On Pacers podcast.