Report: Civil lawsuit involving Pacers coach Rick Carlisle resolved

INDIANAPOLIS -- A civil lawsuit alleging breach of contract in which Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was the defendant has been "resolved to the satisfaction of both parties" according to a report from Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com.

McMahon cited Carlisle's agent Andy Nikolopoulos and the plaintiff's attorney Josie Leinart as saying the case had been resolved and would be dismissed. Nikolopoulos confirmed to IndyStar the case has been resolved. Leinart did not immediately respond to requests for comment via phone and email by IndyStar. A dismissal would avoid a trial date set for April of 2025, which would have been early in the NBA playoffs.

According to the report and to court records, former agent Jarinn Akana filed a lawsuit in December alleging that Carlisle breached their contract by refusing to pay Akana his full commission after Akana negotiated his contract extension with the Dallas Mavericks in 2018.

According to the lawsuit, Akana was serving as a protege to agent Dan Fegan when Fegan died in a car crash in February of 2018. Akana alleged that Fegan had been working on an extension with the Mavericks for Carlisle at that point. According to the lawsuit, Carlisle requested Akana to serve as his agent on the negotiation after Fegan's passing, and Akana successfully negotiated the extension before the 2018-19 season.

Akana alleged in the lawsuit that Carlisle agreed to pay Akana commission at the same annual percentage of his contract that he had paid Fegan. However, Akana alleged that when the first annual payment was due, Carlisle reneged and offered him a lower rate -- $200,000 per year. Akana agreed to the offer, according to the lawsuit, "in light of the initial work done by his mentor and to avoid any further disputes." Carlisle paid Akana $200,000 on Jan. 1, 2019 according to the lawsuit, but Akana alleged that Carlisle did not make the payment the following year. He alleged that Carlisle threatened to report Akana to the National Basketball Players Association for violating regulations regarding player agents representing coaches as well as players, even though Carlisle was "complicit with Akana for taking such action on his behalf."

Akana alleged that Carlisle offered to pay him $250,000 out of a total of $800,000 owed as commission for the four-year deal. Akana declined the offer. He alleged that Carlisle also did not make a payment on Jan. 1, 2021. Carlisle resigned Mavericks in June of 2021, and Akana alleged that Carlisle had not yet paid any of the $400,000 in missed payments at the time the lawsuit was filed.

Carlisle filed a response, denying all allegations and claiming that they are not true "in whole or in part." The two sides attempted mediation in the summer to no avail and the trial was set, however, according to McMahon's report, the resolution was agreed to on Wednesday.

Carlisle was hired by the Pacers in 2021 after his resignation from the Mavericks. He ranks 12th in NBA history with 943 wins.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Report: Civil lawsuit involving Pacers coach Rick Carlisle resolved