The Portland Trail Blazers have been eliminated from playoff contention for a fourth consecutive year, but they apparently still believe in their coach.
Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups on Sunday agreed to a multiyear contract extension with the team, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Billups had been in the fourth and final year of his previous deal.
Portland also signed general manager Joe Cronin to an extension.
“Chauncey Billups is a great leader, motivator and communicator that has worked tirelessly to establish an identity for this team that has taken shape over his time in Portland,” Cronin said in a statement. “I am beyond excited to continue this partnership with Chauncey and take this team to the next level.”
The Trail Blazers entered their regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday with a record of 35-46. They have improved late in the year, however. Portland has a 22-18 record since Jan. 18 and has shown signs of being headed in the right direction.
Billups also issued a statement in the wake of the news, saying that he is confident the Blazers are “building this team the right way with a defensive-minded, hard-nosed, competitive culture.”
The Blazers have one of the youngest rosters in the NBA. There was talk following last season that the team was not convinced Billups was the right coach to lead their young core, but they decided to stick with the 48-year-old. Though the Blazers did not make the playoffs, Billups responded with the team’s most victories in a season since they went 42-30 and reached the postseason in 2020-21.
Billups, a Hall of Fame point guard, was an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers for one season before he was hired by Portland. Though he has a new contract, he will still be under significant pressure to lead the Blazers to the playoffs next year.
