After a lengthy, wide-ranging search for their next coach, the Portland Trail Blazers have chosen one of the guys already at the front of the line.
Portland has hired longtime Minnesota assistant coach Micah Nori, the Trail Blazers announced.
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“After an extensive search process, it became clear that Micah embodies the qualities we are looking for in the leader of this franchise,” Portland general manager Joe Cronin said in a statement. “He has been a key contributor to successful organizations and brings a wealth of expertise, a proven ability to develop players and an authenticity that aligns with the culture we are building. We are excited about the future under his direction and look forward to what we can accomplish together.”
The most surprising part of this is the contract structure: A one-year deal with team options for each of the two seasons after that, reports Jason Quick of The Athletic. A standard NBA coaching contract, even for a first-time coach, is four years, maybe with a team option on the final year. New Portland team owner Tom Dundon had been laughed at in basketball circles when first reaching out to potential coaches because the impression was he hoped to hire an NBA coach at a mid-major college coach price — an accusation he and the Blazers pushed back against. However, with Dundon waiting until every other league coaching vacancy had been filled, he had leverage in any contract negotiation, and Nori wanted the job enough to accept the terms.
Nori, 52, has been the lead assistant coach to Chris Finch in Minnesota since 2021. Prior to that, he worked as an assistant coach in Toronto, Sacramento, Denver and Detroit. In his stops, he has connected with players and been a well-liked and respected assistant.
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Nori is known as an offensive innovator who wants his teams to push the tempo. Now he takes over an athletic young roster that should fit his preferred style of play, one led by All-Star forward Deni Avdija, and a team that will see the return of Damian Lillard to the court (after a missed season due to a torn Achilles).
“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to lead the Trail Blazers and want to thank Tom, Joe and the Rip City Rising ownership group for their trust,” Nori said in a statement. “From my conversations with Tom and Joe, it was evident that there is a strong commitment to building a culture that values accountability, development and team success. This is a team with tremendous talent, and I’m excited to begin working with our players and staff.”
Nori takes over for Tiago Splitter, who lifted Portland to a surprising 42 wins and the playoffs last season despite having been thrown into the big chair one game into the season after the arrest of former head coach Chauncy Billups as part of a federal illegal gambling indictment. Splitter was under consideration to remain the Portland coach, but left to take the head coaching job with the Chicago Bulls (a job Nori was also a finalist for).
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