The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS - Larry Bird insisted he took his new job with an open mind about the future of coach Isiah Thomas.

The Indiana Pacers' president of basketball operations needed only seven weeks to come to a decision.

Bird wasted little time in making his first major move, firing Thomas Wednesday and immediately targeting former assistant Rick Carlisle as his successor.

"I just had a gut feeling this wasn't going to work," Bird said of a surprise move that came only two months before the start of the season.

Bird said he didn't feel comfortable with the Pacers' direction after a second-half swoon that knocked them out of first place in the Eastern Conference and into third.

Bird also said there were other problems with Thomas, who was with the U.S. men's basketball team at the Olympic qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico earlier this week.

Thomas returned to Indianapolis Wednesday.

"I spoke to him one day in a meeting, and I talked to him one day on the phone. The communication wasn't really there," Bird said.

Carlisle and Bird's relationship dates to the 1980s when the two were teammates with the Boston Celtics. Carlisle also was an assistant for Bird from 1997-2000 but was passed over by current Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh in favor of Thomas.

Carlisle spent the past two seasons as coach of the Detroit Pistons before being fired in May. Carlisle spoke with Bird Tuesday night and said he was interested.

"He's my first choice," Bird said.

The Pacers were 131-115 in the regular season under Thomas, making the playoffs all three seasons but never advancing past the first round.

The team said it would honor the final year of Thomas' contract.

HEAT: Lamar Odom joined the Miami Heat Wednesday, signing a six-year, $65 million contract after the Los Angeles Clippers declined to match the deal.