Report: Larry Bird leaving Indiana Pacers

(CBS/AP) INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Star is reporting that Larry Bird is leaving the Indiana Pacers.

The newspaper reported the move Tuesday, citing an unidentified person with direct knowledge of the situation, and said Bird was meeting with team owner Herb Simon. The Pacers and Simon declined comment on the report. The NBA draft is Thursday.

The departure is not a surprise. CBSSports.com's Ken Berger reported that Bird would leave the team back in April.

The 55-year-old Bird was Pacers coach from 1997-2000, returning to the front office in 2003. He took over from Donnie Walsh in 2008 as president of basketball operations and was this season's NBA's Executive of the Year after building a tough, young team that lost to eventual champion Miami.

The former Indiana State star won three MVP awards and three NBA titles during his Hall of Fame career with Boston.