The Portland Path Blazers prolonged Chauncey Billups, which might imply that their rebuild is nearing its finish, however are they able to compete for the playoffs?
On April 13, it was introduced that the Portland Path Blazers can be extending head coach Chauncey Billups. The main points of the extension weren’t disclosed, though the group has an choice in his contract to select it up for the 2025-26 season.
The group is displaying religion in Billups, who’s wrapping up his fourth season with the Blazers, which is the one group he has ever led. Below him, they’ve by no means made the playoffs, though after buying and selling Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, they have been anticipated to enter a multi-year rebuild.
Whereas enchancment has been there, the fanbase is split on the extension, though it’s clear that the teaching continuity will likely be good for the younger group’s improvement.
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Whereas Portland has not strung collectively a profitable season beneath Billups, there have been enhancements. During the last 40 video games this season, Portland has ranked third in defensive score, and accidents have piled up, permitting their kids to obtain helpful minutes.
Billups made his title for himself because the defense-first level guard for the mid-2000s Detroit Pistons, who made two NBA Finals and received in 2004 over a loaded Los Angeles Lakers group. Billups received Finals MVP, and is a Corridor of Fame participant.
His enjoying profession bought off to a sluggish begin, averaging simply 11.3 factors per sport for 4 groups in his first 5 seasons earlier than blossoming into an All-Star. Portland is hoping his teaching profession may have an identical arc, and is constant to put money into him.
Key gamers like Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, and Toumani Camara have all improved and thrived beneath Billups, and Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan have each proven flashes.
Nonetheless, the Blazers have veterans like Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton, Anfernee Simons, and Robert Williams, to call a couple of, who take up greater than their justifiable share of minutes and wage cap room, limiting Portland’s youth motion and suppleness.
With a younger core in place and 6 first-round draft picks between now and 2031, the Blazers are a group on the rise, however Billups hasn’t been excellent.
By way of the primary 41 video games of the season, Portland was 13-28. Within the final 40 video games, they’ve gone a way more respectable 22-18.
On one hand, the development tanked their draft lottery odds, however on the opposite, it gave followers a motive to imagine of their younger core.
In the course of the dropping stretch to begin the season, Billups was counting on older, extra skilled gamers who merely couldn’t get the job carried out. He was accused of ruining developmental steps for younger expertise.
As accidents piled up, Billups was compelled to present enjoying time to the youthful group, and the group not solely began profitable, however inner enchancment skyrocketed.
| Participant | Age | Whole Minutes (First 41 Video games) | Whole Minutes )Final 41 Video games) |
| Toumani Camara | 24 | 1,252 | 1,276 |
| Anfernee Simons | 25 | 1,214 | 1,076 |
| Jerami Grant | 30 | 973 | 552 |
| Shaedon Sharpe | 21 | 1,041 | 1,208 |
| Deandre Ayton | 26 | 891 | 319 |
| Deni Avdija | 24 | 1,062 | 1,137 |
| Scoot Henderson | 20 | 899 | 892 |
| Donovan Clingan | 20 | 516 | 785 |
| Robert Williams | 27 | 235 | 116 |
Whereas the group is fast to present Billups credit score, some followers imagine that had Grant, Williams, and others not gotten harm, Billups wouldn’t have elevated the younger gamers’ minutes, and are hesitant to present him credit score for the mid-season turnaround.
By all accounts, Billups is a gamers’ coach and appears to have the belief of each his group and entrance workplace, but when Portland doesn’t return to the postseason, he won’t outlast his new extension. For now at the very least, all appears peachy within the Metropolis of Roses.
