#4 Rick Carlisle – Indiana Pacers 

For the last 13 seasons, Rick Carlisle has been the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks and he coached them to that franchise’s only championship in 2011, but he returned to the Indiana Pacers this offseason, after having coached them from 2003-07. 

Carlisle inherits a really talented roster that has a chance to be special, but health has been a major concern for them the last several years.

After losing in the first round each of the previous five years, the Pacers missed the playoffs entirely last year, which resulted in them firing head coach Nate Bjorkgren after just one year. 

Things may seem a little dicey in Indiana right now in regards to the Pacers and their future, but Rick Carlisle is a great head coach and if there is anybody that can turn things around in a hurry for the Pacers, it is him.

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With a great coach and a really great roster on paper, the Pacers could actually wind up being one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, which is why Carlise is a dark horse to keep an eye on for the Coach of the Year award.