[brid autoplay=”true” video=”795874″ player=”23231″ title=”5%20prime%20Portland%20Trail%20Blazers%20head%20coach%20candidates%20after%20Terry%20Stotts%20exit%20latest%20rumors” duration=”97″ description=”The Portland Trail Blazers are shaking things up after a fourth first-round playoff exit in five years, and are on the hunt for a new head coach after parting ways with Terry Stotts.Given that Stotts had nine seasons to prove himself, it was obvious the franchise needed a new voice in the locker room. Superstar Damian Lillard isn’t close to winning a championship, and given his loyalty to Portland and world-class talent, that’s unacceptable for the Blazers.Who can lead this organization to an NBA Finals run? Here are five prime head coach candidates for Portland to consider.” uploaddate=”2021-06-07″ thumbnailurl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/thumb/795874_t_1623083648.png” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/sd/795874.mp4″]
Chauncey Billups has officially been named the next head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, replacing the recently-fired Terry Stotts and potentially setting up some drama in the Pacific Northwest.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the deal is for five years. Billups, 44, will be introduced as their next coach in a press conference on Tuesday.
“Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey and Billups’ agent, Andy Miller of Klutch Sports, finalized the contract terms on Sunday, sources said,” Wojnarowski reported. “The Blazers offered Chauncey Billups the job on Friday night, and the sides had been progressing on a deal to replace former coach Terry Stotts over the weekend.”
The backdrop here is rather obvious. With news regarding the likely hiring of Chauncey Billups, reports surfaced earlier on Sunday that star guard Damian Lillard is not too happy.
“The enormous backlash from the Portland Trail Blazers’ process to hire a new coach and his concerns on whether a championship contender can be built have become factors that may push the franchise player — Damian Lillard — out the door,” Yahoo! Sports NBA insider Chris Haynes reported.
Among the things Haynes noted in his shocking report is the fact that Lillard did not know about sexual assault allegations that were levied in Chauncey Billups’ direction back in 1997. All of this comes with San Antonio Spurs assistant Becky Hammon being a finalist for the Blazers’ job before Billups was hired.
A former top-three pick of the Boston Celtics back in 1997, Billups played 17 seasons in the NBA — earning a title with the Detroit Pistons back in 2004. He’s currently serving as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers.