Ep. 22: Jeff Morton, Paul Coro on 3 potential Pacers coaches

The Pacers — more specifically, Larry Bird — are in search of the 15th coach in franchise history. The coaching search is five-plus days in and there hasn’t been any names tied to the jobs. There are dozens of names of former head coaches that are mentioned with the Pacers, but Bird is diligent in the process and very likely has zeroed in on the next guy he wants to direct the team. [Paul George thanks Frank Vogel, calls him ‘one of the most influential men’ in his life] Three possible candidates that have been mentioned in the lists are Brian Shaw, the Pacers associate head coach from 2011-13, Jeff Hornacek, and veteran coach Mike D’Antoni. To learn more about each of their coaching styles and how they might work with the Pacers, I reached out to two reporters who cover NBA teams regularly. First, Jeff Morton in Denver. He writes for DenverStiffs.com and co-hosts the Colorado Sports Guys podcast. Morton provides terrific insight into what went wrong with Shaw and the Nuggets and why that marriage didn’t even make it two seasons. [Is Brian Shaw the motivator, fresh voice the Pacers need?] Then, I’m joined by Paul Coro, the longtime beat reporter covering the Phoenix Suns for the Arizona Republic. Coro analyzes Hornacek, the Suns coach from 2013-16, and Mike D’Antoni, who has been the lead man four different teams. Subscribe to the Pacers Podcast on iTunes. (And, if you like the podcast, please leave a review.) I welcome your questions and comments @ScottAgness on Twitter or via email. Topics Discussed: * Morton on how Shaw’s stint as head coach was doomed from the start * What Shaw initially said that soured Nuggets players on him * Why Indiana makes sense for B-Shaw * Coro on Hornacek offensive and defensive principles * Why D’Antoni is frequently mentioned for coaching jobs * If it is either coach’s style to motivate players