The Portland Trail Blazers have decided to part ways with their longtime head coach, Terry Stotts.
After a fourth first-round playoff exit in five seasons, the Portland Trail Blazers and coach Terry Stotts mutually agreed to part ways on Friday, sources told ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2021
Stotts had been the coach of the Trail Blazers for nine years.
He brought a lot of success to the franchise with playoff appearances in eight straight seasons.
The Trail Blazers’ best finish was a spot in the Western Conference Finals in 2019.
However, they got swept in that series and only made it out of the first round three times.
Now the Trail Blazers are on the hunt for a new head coach.
Who are some of the best options for the job?
Here are three of the best candidates for the head coaching vacancy.
3. Lionel Hollins
Lionel Hollins is currently one of the assistant coaches for the Los Angeles Lakers, but he has a lot of head coaching experience.
He was a head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets.
With the Grizzlies is where he found most of his success as a head coach.
He took the Grizzlies to their first ever Conference Finals and had the highest winning percentage in the team’s history.
Furthermore, he is a former member of the only Trail Blazers championship team in 1977.
He was an All-Star for the franchise back in 1978 and eventually had his jersey retired.
Hollins would be a great hiring and a fun reunion with the organization.
2. Chauncey Billups
One of the hottest coaching commodities as of right now is Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach Chauncey Billups.
Among candidates expected to be considered for the Blazers opening, sources tell ESPN: Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups, Jeff Van Gundy, Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni, and Michigan’s Juwan Howard.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2021
He has no prior head coaching experience, but was a longtime player in the NBA.
The man was a former NBA Finals MVP and five time All-Star.
There is a legit pedigree present for him.
Also, Billups has a relationship with a member of the Trail Blazers front office.
That someone is the General Manager Neil Olshey.
Olshey is the man that signed Billups to the Clippers back in 2011.
Now Olshey is the man in charge of making decisions with the Trail Blazers.
Billups will have tons of options this offseason.
If the Trail Blazers think he is the man for the job, they must act quick.
1. David Vanterpool
David Vanterpool is not a name that would truly ring a bell.
He only played 22 games in the NBA back in the early 2000s and has never been a head coach.
However, his name has been buzzing has an upcoming NBA head coach one day.
That day might come very soon.
Vanterpool was most recently the associate head coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Now he is on the market and prepared to take the next best coaching job.
That job should be the Trail Blazers head coaching opening.
He has a history with the franchise, as he served as their assistant coach for seven years.
Also, he has a great relationship with players on the team, such as their franchise guy, Damian Lillard.
Lillard even went out of his way to criticize the Timberwolves for not promoting Vanterpool as the head coach during the season.
How the hell do you not hire David Vanterpool and he’s right there on the bench… and has been in front office SUCCESSFULLY and on the front of a bench of a winning team SUCCESSFULLY (7 years) … and also has played a major role in the development of a dominant backcourt smdh!
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) February 22, 2021
Vanterpool already has the connections, which makes him a great option for the job.
NEXT: Trail Blazers Were Right To Move On From Terry Stotts
Lamont Hollins says
I’m personally biased, but not because Lionel Hollins is my Father. I’ve had a front row seat to his time as a Trail Blazer as I grew up in the Portland area and intensely watched his entire coaching career. He has what it takes to build upon what Coach Stotts built with this current team. People like to put coaches into a box as offensive/defensive or analytics driven, but there is no specific box for Hollins unless there is an “all the above” category. As for a reunion with history, I campaigned for years for his number to be retired….it was a no brainer for an organization that appeared to be trying to run from those lofty expectations.. Not to mention they had ample opportunity to make him the coach in the past when he was a promising “associate” coach. Now is the time to finally pull the trigger and really embrace that history and bring back one of their sons who played an integral role in bringing the city they’re “ONLY” Chamionship and a proven winner as a coach….the fans, the city, the players and the marketing department will thank you!