INDIANAPOLIS – Rick Carlisle was fired Wednesday after four tumultuous years as coach of the Indiana Pacers, who failed to make the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

Carlisle, who played two seasons of basketball at the University of Maine before transferring to the University of Virginia in 1981, said he understood it was time for the Pacers to hear a “new voice.” Team president Larry Bird said Carlisle has an option to return to the team in another capacity. Carlisle was appointed vice president in October and has until June 15 to decide if he wants to keep that title.

The Pacers finished the season 35-47, their worst since 1988-89. Indiana was 29-24 shortly after the All-Star break, but lost its next 11 games to fall out of playoff contention. A loss to Detroit on April 3 clinched the Pacers’ first losing season since 1996-97.

Carlisle struggled to manage talented but volatile players. Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson were the two most prominent players in the 2004 brawl between Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans. That brawl started the unraveling of a team that was expected to make several title runs.

“This came down to what was in the best interests of the franchise going forward,” Carlisle said. “Coaching is something that gets in your blood. But then again, when you know it’s time, you know it’s time.”

Carlisle acknowledged his struggles to connect with the players.

“It’s a people business, and communication is really important,” Carlisle said. “You can never be too good a communicator. It’s something I want to continue to work on.”