Garrett Temple - Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
One of the many factors which hampered the Indiana Pacers this season was the locker room issues catalyzed by the recently-fired Nate Bjorkgren’s abrasive communication style and micromanagement. Combine that with persistent instability brought by another injury-marred campaign, it’s no surprise that the team finds itself currently in the ping-pong race.
Pacers President Kevin Pritchard, in his exit interview, acknowledged that the team needs a strong vocal leader in the locker room to take things up a notch. He noted how former player Al Jefferson helped established a strong locker room culture in the team.