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Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle has been named the defendant in a civil lawsuit that is scheduled to go to trial on April 28, 2025, according to ESPN's Tim McMahon. The start date of this trial coincides with the opening round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, which could be problematic for Carlisle and the Pacers.
Jarinn Akana, Carlisle's former agent, filed a lawsuit in December 2023 alleging that the Pacers head coach breached their contract by refusing to pay commission that was owed for the contract extension he agreed to with the Dallas Mavericks in 2018.
The lawsuit states that Carlisle wrote a check on January 1, 2019 to Akana for $200,000. This was the first commission payment on the extension, which was valued at $8 million per year. After refusing the pay Akana commission for the years after, Carlisle allegedly threatened to report Akana for violating the National Basketball Players Association regulations in regards to agents not being able to simultaneously represent players and coaches.
While Carlisle, his agent, and the Pacers have not commented on the matter, the head coach did issue a general denial of what is being accused, stating that the lawsuit is “not true in whole or in part,” according to ESPN.
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Akana took over as Carlisle's acting agent when his agent, Dan Fegan, was killed in a car crash in 2018. Due to close ties and working alongside Fegan, Akana started representing Carlisle and was set to receive a three-percent commission, which was the same as what he had negotiated with Fegan. The twist in the contract between the agent and coach is that Carlisle had a deal with Fegan where the commission would decrease after the first annual payment was due.
The lawsuit states that Akana ultimately honored this stipulation “in light of the initial work done by his mentor and to avoid any further disputes.” Mediation between the two sides took place over the summer with no resolve, which is why this case is moving to trial in April.
Carlisle, who resigned as head coach of the Mavericks after the third year of his five-year extension, is prepared to begin his fourth straight season with the Pacers. This is Carlisle's second stint as the head coach in Indiana, as he served on the sidelines from 2003-07.
Last season, the Pacers went 47-35, their best record since Carlisle returned, and they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2014. It is expected that Indiana will once again be in the Eastern Conference playoff picture during the 2024-25 season, which could overlap with Carlisle's trial date.
