Heading right into a fourth straight rebuilding season, Portland Path Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups stays an enigma. The Blazers have wished to lose, and misplaced considerably, all through the previous Corridor of Fame level guard’s tenure. To his credit score, some intriguing younger gamers have blossomed on the developmental entrance, together with 2023-24 draftees Toumani Camara and Duop Reath, in addition to well-traveled younger ahead Dalano Banton. Capturing guard Shaedon Sharpe, although restricted to only 32 video games final season, has additionally taken a leap ahead when he’s been on the court docket. However Scoot Henderson — the much-hyped No. 3 total decide within the 2023 NBA Draft — has had a dismal first season, notably on protection and ball management. Deandre Ayton, a extremely touted reclamation undertaking after a disappointing playoff run with the Phoenix Suns that compelled the crew to chop bait, additionally stagnated in his first season with the crew final yr.
Billups led the Blazers to a brutal 81-165 file, however the crew did not actually attempt to win. Even in his final two seasons with All-Star Damian Lillard at his aspect, the membership was poorly constructed and resorted to a obvious collapse late within the yr.
In some unspecified time in the future, crew president Joe Cronin should resolve whether or not he desires Billups round for the lengthy haul. For now, Billups is getting into the ultimate yr of his contract on an expiring deal, with no extension showing imminent. Will he do sufficient to earn one other contract for subsequent yr and past? Would he even need to stick to a shedding crew?
Within the newest episode of his podcast Concentrated BlazerThe Oregonian’s hosts Aaron Fentress and Chris Birnbach mentioned this identical problem.
“One of many greatest issues we’re going to speak about … is their head coach, who doesn’t have an extension — and that doesn’t rely towards the wage cap. So what’s going to occur there?” Birnbach puzzled. “That’s going to be an fascinating subject as soon as coaching camp begins. Not many NBA head coaches go into their last yr with out an extension and, actually, and not using a likelihood to win. Typically they assume, ‘Properly, that is his last yr, so he’s received to show it.’ Properly, this crew isn’t ready for that, so it’s going to be fascinating.”
“One factor about that — and it doesn’t essentially imply every thing — is he’s employed new assistants, he’s been concerned in planning for the long run. They haven’t excluded him from the discussions and issues which might be going to occur within the G League, he’s going to have one thing to say about that,” Fentress mentioned. “He’s concerned in a number of issues that they do. It will possibly’t imply something [necessarily]you will be concerned in every thing, they will simply hearth everyone… I do not even know the way you measure what he does. He received nice reward from Cronin final yr and the yr earlier than, and [the Blazers] “Issues weren’t good. In order that they clearly imagine, a minimum of publicly, that he did job of what they had been making an attempt to do. And if what they’re making an attempt to do is lose, properly, Chauncey Billups is a grasp.”
Extra Path Blazers: Portland could battle to capitalize on Deandre Ayton commerce
