Larry Bird spent a season away from the Indiana Pacers' front office due to health issues, but he returned this season and has built a deep team through free agency and trade.

In Bird's mind, returning to the Pacers so soon was an outcome even he did not envision.

"I never dreamed I'd be back, especially so quick," Bird said. "But I thought that's the best thing that I've done in a long time -- get away from it, refresh, watch the team play."

When asked how difficult it was to leave, Bird said: "It wasn't hard. I knew we had a good team, that the team was pretty well set."

The Sacramento Kings were among the teams that called the Pacers' ownership wondering about Bird's status.