The Portland Trail Blazers announced Sunday that they have signed coach Chauncey Billups to a multiyear contract extension.
General Manager Joe Cronin announced the extension only a few days after he received an extension of his own to remain at the helm of the team’s front office. “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.”
Billups sports a 116-211 record in his four seasons as coach of the Blazers, though there’s been some tangible progress for the NBA’s 3rd youngest roster of late. Despite being out of playoff contention, the 35-46 Portland squad has posted a 22-18 record since January 19th, ranking in the top five in the NBA in defence and third in transition defence during that span.
Young pieces such as Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson have also taken noticeable steps in their development of late as well, with Sharpe registering multiple 30+ point efforts in the month of April.
“We are building this team the right way with a defensive-minded, hard-nosed, competitive culture,” Billups said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing to give Rip City fans a product on the court that they can be proud of and cheer for every night.”
The team will also finish with a winning record at home (currently 21-19), regardless of what happens in their season finale Sunday vs. the Los Angeles Lakers, which represents another sign of the team finally beginning to turn the corner.
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.