PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Coach Chauncey Billups has signed a multi-year contract extension with the Portland Path Blazers.
The Blazers didn’t launch phrases of the deal, introduced earlier than the regular-season finale in opposition to the Lakers on Sunday.
In his fourth 12 months with the Blazers, Billups has guided the group to a 35-46 document this season. Whereas Portland missed out on the postseason for the fourth straight 12 months, the group carried out higher than anticipated with younger stars like Scott Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija.
“I’m just so happy, with what we’ve done and where I think we can go,” Billups mentioned. “So much promise here. I’m pumped about it.”
Billups has helped the Blazers forge an identification, particularly over the past 40 video games when Portland had the league’s third-best defensive score. The second youngest group within the league went on a run in late January-early February once they gained 10 of 11 video games.
“The defensive improvement that we’ve seen, for us to be the third-best defense in the league in the second half of the season. That’s meaningful and substantive,” mentioned basic supervisor Joe Cronin, who signed his personal extension earlier this week. “And that’s what we’ve been trying to build. And that’s a what we’re going to point to moving forward, this is who we are.”
There have been different groups reported to be thinking about Billups, together with the Phoenix Suns.
“The core of Chauncey’s leadership is his ability to build a collaborative culture and growth mindset for our young team,” Blazers chair Jody Allen mentioned in a press release. “We’re very happy to extend his contract as head coach, and excited to see his continued work developing our players and transforming this team into one capable of long-term success.”
Billups, 48, who had an NBA enjoying profession that spanned 17 seasons, gained a championship with Detroit in 2004 and was named the finals MVP. A five-time All-Star, he was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Corridor of Fame in October.
“I just feel very good about where we’re at, and now I understand how long it takes to build a culture. I feel like we’ve done that,” Billups mentioned. “I think the tell tale of that, for any coaches, is if at some point when your team kind of takes on your personality and how you believe the game should be played, I think you’ve gotten there.”
