Top 3 candidates for Portland Trail Blazers' head coaching job
The Portland Trail Blazers recently parted ways with Terry Stotts, which leaves open the lucrative position of their head coach.
The Blazers roster is packed with skilled individuals, led by All NBA-caliber star Damian Lillard. Nevertheless, they have endured a few unceremonious exits from the NBA playoffs in the last few years. So the Trail Blazers' front office will likely look to get a head coach who would help break their postseason jinx.
The Portland Trail Blazers are a win-now team, with General Manager Neil Olshey of the belief that the Trail Blazers are one of the best teams in the league. That means the incoming coach is expected to work mostly with the existing squad. On that note, let's take a look at three coaches the Portland Trail Blazers could target:
#3 Kenny Atkinson
Currently, an assistant coach with championship hopefuls, the LA Clippers, Kenny Atkinson, is revered as one of the smartest minds in the league. His exploits with the 2018-19 Brooklyn Nets are well known, as he was able to lead a relatively inexperienced team to a 42-20 record on the season.
Kenny Atkinson is not one of the most demanding coaches in terms of resources, which makes him a good fit with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Atkinson will most likely be looking for a head coaching job after the conclusion of the current NBA season. The Portland Trail Blazers will have to move quickly, as the former Atlanta Hawks assistant is expected to receive a flurry of offers this summer.
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#2 Chauncey Billups
Another LA Clippers assistant coach, Chauncey Billups, is expected to be a much sought-after coach this off-season.
Billups doesn't have a lot of coaching experience at the highest level. But his feel for the game and leadership qualities during his playing days suggest that he could be the head coach of a team next season.
Billups could be a brilliant get for the Portland Trail Blazers, who are in a desperate need of fresh ideas after Terry Stotts' nine seasons as the head coach. Steve Nash has proven that man-management can trump experience if the head coach has a talented roster at his disposal, and it could be a similar story for Billups.
NBA rumors suggest that the Blazers are considering Billups for their head coach role, so a 'marriage' between the two could soon be on the cards.
#1 Mike D'Antoni
Currently serving as an assistant coach under Steve Nash, there is little doubt Mike D'Antoni could be a head coach before the start of the 2021-22 season. One of the best offensive-minded coaches of all time, D'Antoni has had a hand behind three all-time offenses - the Steve Nash-Phoenix Suns, the James Harden-Houston Rockets and now the 'Big 3'-Brooklyn Nets.
D'Antoni has helped both Nash and Harden win MVPs awards and is well known for helping up the games of the guards in his team. Damian Lillard could be the biggest beneficiary if the Portland Trail Blazers end up hiring D'Antoni. The team's front office will certainly like their talisman to reach MVP level next year.
Mike D'Antoni has emerged as a favorite for the Portland Trail Blazers head coach job. So it won't be a surprise to see the Italian on the sidelines of the Moda Center next season.
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