The Trail Blazers are currently interviewing prospects to fill their head coaching vacancy. There are plenty of candidates with an array of experiences and skills that could help this team advance to their first finals appearance in nearly 30 years. The Trail Blazers job is intriguing for any coach eager to work with Damian Lillard, but there is a growing number of opportunities available that might trump what Portland has to offer.
It's a situation made even worse by Rick Carlisle’s departure from Dallas.
Fans and pundits alike were shocked by Carlisle’s exit after leading the franchise for 13 seasons and one NBA title. It was made worse by the revelation that Carlisle plans to continue coaching. The Trail Blazers may have a shot at hiring the coach, but it seems the field of teams looking for a new leader continues to grow. Boston, Indiana, Washington, Orlando and New Orleans all have intriguing aspects that could attract talent (with the Celtics leading the pack).
That means teams will pursue big names like Becky Hammon and Chauncey Billups. Even though the prospect of coaching Damian Lillard can seem attractive, there’s no guarantee he will stick around after his contract expires in 2024.
Another aspect of the Portland job that could scare a prospect is the working relationship with general manager Neil Olshey. He takes great pride in stating “roster construction” was not the issue plaguing a Blazer team that was historically bad defensively, last season. Hopefully a qualified coach can look past GM Bro and see this job as a major opportunity.
