Vogel out as Pacers coach despite pleas to Bird

The Indiana Pacers will not renew the contract of head coach Frank Vogel, team president Larry Bird said Thursday.

"I've decided that it's time for a new voice around here," Bird told a news conference Thursday in Indianapolis. Speculation had been rampant that Vogel wouldn't return after reports came out that Bird had yet to extend the coach's contract, which expires this summer.

"Sometimes my job really sucks and this is one of the toughest things I've done," Bird said. "Frank's not getting fired, his contract's up."

Bird then candidly described how Vogel tried to make him change his mind. "We talked this morning probably for half an hour on the phone. He was trying to talk me out of this decision ... he kept bringing it up about, 'can we sit out and delay the news conference and start all over again?' ... he's going to be missed."

Vogel leaves the Pacers with a 250-181 record in five-plus seasons as head coach. He helped lead Indiana to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals appearances in 2013 and 2014, and coached in the 2014 All-Star Game.

Bird admitted that he began considering a coaching change as far back as the All-Star break, even though the team was on its way to a 45-37 record and the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Pacers were eliminated by the Toronto Raptors last Sunday after pushing the banged-up No. 2 seed to a seventh game.

"You guys know I like to score more points," Bird said of his decision. "It's all about scoring some points." The Pacers finished 23rd in the regular season in offensive rating, per NBA stats.