Since Terry Stotts was let go by the Trail Blazers, multiple reports have suggested that Portland has some interest in Mike D’Antoni has a potential head coaching candidate. However, Sam Amick of The Athletic frames things a little differently.
A source with knowledge of D’Antoni’s situation tells Amick that the two-time Coach of the Year has “serious interest” in coaching the Blazers. Amick says it remains to be seen whether that interest will be reciprocated.
D’Antoni’s reputation as a “point guard whisperer” could make him a good fit in Portland, Amick notes, but other aspects of his résumé may work against him. The Blazers will be seeking a head coach who can get them over the hump in the playoffs and who can improve the team’s defense. D’Antoni’s teams over the years have always stalled out before reaching the NBA Finals and have generally been offensive juggernauts rather than defensive stalwarts.
The Blazers are expected to cast a wide net in their coaching search, considering upwards of 20-to-25 candidates, so D’Antoni could certainly get a look. Amick is the latest reporter to name Chauncey Billups as the presumed frontrunner though.
Here’s more on the Blazers:
- Although Damian Lillard‘s situation in Portland is worth keeping an eye on, reports of teams around the NBA monitoring and/or inquiring on the All-Star guard aren’t particularly newsworthy, says Chris Mannix of SI.com. “We check in every year,” one rival team executive told Mannix. “You would be an idiot not to.”
- Meanwhile, the Blazers’ other starting guard, CJ McCollum, said on Twitter that he’s not offended by seeing his name constantly pop up in trade rumors. “I work hard, show up and do my job to the best of my ability,” he said. “Everyone has a right to their own opinion. Even if that means they want to see me traded. It’s a part of life when you play this sport.”
- In case you missed it, we passed along several Blazers notes and comments from president of basketball operations Neil Olshey earlier in the week.
Stotts is clearly better than Mike Dantoni
Improve the defense
D’Antoni in Portland isn’t going to change anything. He’s not a good coach – his philosophy is only supported by those that fit his system, as opposed to actually adapting to the talent on the roster and maximizing it. Popovich is a great example of what the blueprint should look like. If there’s anyone who closely resembles that approach, that’s who they need to consider.
Wasnt Sotts the defensive coach for Dallas when they won in 2011? Getting the right coach obviously matters, but they need to get someone that can guard the guard spot, and play next to Dame and/or CJ
D’Antoni is about 6-8 right? Plus he’s only 70. Maybe they’re planning on using him as a player-coach, taking on the SF defensive assignments while whispering in Dame’s ear.
D’Antoni probably isn’t the right choice. But if Olshey is serious in thinking it’s not the roster that’s the problem then IDK if it matters who coaches this team. I don’t think even Thibs could make this an above avg defensive team.
bet he could!
They don’t need a PG whisperer, that’s almost all Portland has that needs no help.
not only is D’Antoni interested in the Portland job, he’s interested in the Boston job, he’s interested in the Indiana job and he’s interested in the Orlando job…oh….and perhaps Milwaukee
The likelihood of a hire is often more about who’s doing the hiring than anything else. Olshey will lose any credibility he has left if hires MDA. He basically publicly blamed team’s poor defense for the playoff failures, and the poor defense on Stotts. If he wants this fiction to hold, is hiring MDA to replace him a few weeks later a good next move?
D’Antoni would have been an interesting choice if they hired him last year, but they’re running out of prime Dame and should probably try a different direction while they still can.