Bird to resign as Pacers president–report

Larry Bird. AFP FILE PHOTO

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – Former Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird will resign as president of basketball operations for the NBA’s Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, the Indianapolis Star reported.

A front-office shake-up for the Pacers, who have called a news conference for Wednesday, began Tuesday with David Morway resigning after four seasons as the Pacers general manager.

Citing unnamed sources, the Star reported on Tuesday that the departure of Bird, 55, is 100 percent certain.

The newspaper reported that Donnie Walsh, 71, will return to the Pacers, a team he spent 24 years with before leaving to join the New York Knicks in 2008. He resigned a year ago.

Kevin Pritchard will move from director of player personnel to general manager, according to the report.

Bird, named this year’s NBA Executive of the Year, has had complete authority on basketball decisions since 2008, but has been nagged by back and shoulder issues.

Bird is the only man to be named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year at various points in his career.

Morway was hired in 1999 as vice president of basketball administration and the following year the Pacers reached the NBA Finals for the first time, falling to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bird and Morway guided a rebuilding phase for the Pacers that saw them go 42-24 this past season and reach the second round of the NBA playoffs, losing to the eventual NBA champion Miami Heat.

The move comes as the Pacers prepare for the NBA Draft on Thursday, in which they own the 26th overall selection, and next month’s start of free agency, in which Indiana is expected to spend big with room under the NBA salary cap.