Pacers shuffle coaching staff, add Johnny Carpenter and elevate Jim Boylen

The Pacers are making changes on Rick Carlisle’s bench. The team announced Monday that Johnny Carpenter has joined the staff as an assistant, while veteran coach Jim Boylen will move to the front of the bench alongside Lloyd Pierce and Jenny Boucek.

Carpenter spent last season in a player development and scouting role with the Grizzlies, but he’s best known for his nine years at Virginia, where he held a variety of positions –from assistant coach to director of player personnel. He already has a connection to Carlisle, having worked under him in Dallas as an assistant video coordinator in 2014-15.

There’s also a Jay Huff wrinkle here. As noted by Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star, Carpenter worked closely with Huff at Virginia and helped convince Memphis to bring him in last year. Now the two reunite in Indiana after the Pacers picked up Huff in a July trade.

As for Boylen, his promotion fills the vacancy left after Mike Weinar and the team mutually agreed to part ways. The former Bulls head coach now joins Pierce and Boucek as Carlisle’s top lieutenants heading into the season.

For Carlisle, it’s continuity mixed with familiarity, a veteran voice in Boylen up front and a trusted connection in Carpenter added to the mix.