Enquirer wire services

INDIANAPOLIS - Larry Bird returned to the NBA and the Indiana Pacers Friday, taking a front-office job with the team he coached to the league finals three years ago.

The Hall of Famer will be president of basketball operations, taking over day-to-day decision-making from Donnie Walsh, who led the franchise since 1986 and will stay on as its chief executive.

As a player, Bird won three NBA titles in the 1980s with the Boston Celtics.

He has been out of basketball since 2000, when he walked away from the Pacers at the end of a three-year coaching contract. His last Pacers team lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in that season's NBA Finals.

Back then, the Pacers offered Bird a top front-office job, with the option of becoming team president after Walsh retired.

But Bird decided to take a break because of an irregular heartbeat, a condition that took a year to get under control with medicine. Now, Bird is ready to return to basketball.

"I was sort of worn down and didn't want a part of it, but I feel rejuvenated and ready to get to work," Bird said Friday.

Walsh now will oversee the Pacers' business operations and players' contracts, while Bird will be responsible for picking players and coaches and for scouting.

Walsh plans to stay with the Pacers four more years and expects Bird to be his successor.

"I'm really happy to have him back where he belongs, in Indiana," Walsh said.

CLIPPERS: The Los Angeles Clippers named Mike Dunleavy, the 1999 NBA Coach of the Year, to replace interim coach Dennis Johnson.

Dunleavy, who has been mentioned for numerous coaching vacancies, led the Los Angeles Lakers to the 1991 NBA Finals as a rookie coach, losing to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls.

Dunleavy also has coached the Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers, whom he led to the Western Conference finals twice. He was fired after the 2000-01 season by the Trail Blazers after they were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Lakers. The previous season, Portland blew a double-digit, fourth-quarter lead against the Lakers in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.

Dunleavy has a 398-390 career coaching record.

"Our goal was to hire an experienced coach who has been a winner and who has had success in the postseason," Clippers vice president of basketball operations Elgin Baylor said in a statement. "Mike is a real student of the game. He eats, drinks and sleeps basketball."

Which players will remain for him to coach hasn't been decided.

Michael Olowokandi and Eric Piatkowski are unrestricted free agents, while Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Andre Miller and Lamar Odom are restricted free agents.

The Clippers, who finished 27-55 last season, can match offers given to unrestricted free agents. Contract terms weren't disclosed.

MAVERICKS: By missing out on Alonzo Mourning, the Dallas Mavericks still have the mid-level salary-cap exception of about $4.9 million to spend.

The question now is, how?

A big man still is Dallas' biggest need, and there aren't many elite ones left. Mourning is going to New Jersey, Karl Malone is headed to the Lakers and Jermaine O'Neal is staying with the Pacers. Brad Miller probably will stay in Indianapolis, too. Players can't sign deals until Wednesday.

P.J. Brown remains the market's biggest catch. The San Antonio Spurs have plenty more money to spend than the Mavericks and also could use a player like Brown.

Other options for Dallas could include Rasho Nesterovic, Olowokandi and Juwan Howard.

Going away from the post position, the Mavericks also might go after Scottie Pippen. Although they addressed their need for a backup swingman by drafting Josh Howard, Pippen's versatility and playoff experience could be attractive, especially considering what's left on the market.

The Mavs still have plenty to offer free agents. They return their Big Three of Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Michael Finley, plus super-sub Nick Van Exel, and have a reputation throughout the league for catering to players off the court.