Chauncey Billups Reportedly Emerges as Favorite for Blazers Head Coaching Job

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The Portland Trail Blazers are closing in on hiring Chauncey Billups to be the team’s next head coach, according to multiple reports on Friday evening. 

Billups would replace Terry Stotts, who parted ways with the team in early June after nine seasons.

The Trail Blazers had been as consistent as they come under Stotts, reaching the playoffs in each of the last eight seasons. The squad peaked in 2018-19 with a trip to the Western Conference Finals after posting a 53-29 record during the regular season.

There wasn’t enough lasting postseason success, however, with the Blazers losing in the first round in four of the last five years. The team was eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round this past year in a six-game series after earning the No. 6 seed with a 42-30 campaign.

Portland will look for more success under Billups, assuming the deal is finalized in short order. 

The 44-year-old has spent the past season as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers. He also worked as an analyst for ESPN before moving to the sidelines.

Billups is obviously also known for his playing career, earning five All-Star selections to go with a Finals MVP award with the Detroit Pistons.

The former point guard was considered one of the top contenders for the job alongside Jason Kidd.

“I like J. Kidd and Chauncey,” Damian Lillard told Jason Quick and Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Billups will now try to help the six-time All-Star move closer toward title contention. A new voice in the locker room could be enough to turn things around for the talented roster.