[armchairgmParticipant]

Early candidates are Dave Joerger, Jason Kidd, Chauncy Billups, Jeff Van Gundy, Mike D’Antoni, Juwan Howard. I would go with Jeff Van Gundy or Juwan Howard.

[NorrinRaddParticipant]

Van Gundy, I think D’Antoni paired up with that backcourt would be nasty though.

[bt102Participant]

D’Antoni. but I also wouldn’t be surprised to see them be a surprise team and hire like Becky Hammons or something. Maybe Ime Udoka

[sniperParticipant]

The roster is horrible defensively. If you’re going to start Dame and McCollum, and also play Melo significant minutes, you need a Gobert-type monster to have any type of defense. But neither Nurkic nor Kanter are really rim-protectors. Covington can’t guard everyone on the floor.

D’Antoni could come in and go super small with Covington at center like he did in Houston, but that didn’t really work the first time and Houston had much better defenders in the backcourt.

They already make the playoffs every year and are a tough out … which is impressive considering they suck on D. I don’t think D’Antoni can really improve on what Stotts has done.

On the other hand Joerger, Kidd, Van Gundy, Udoka all have experience coaching excellent defenses. But Portland just doesn’t have any great defenders besides Covington.

I think they need to make some roster moves before they decide on a coach.

If i had to predict … I imagine Dame and Kidd are pretty close, both being from the Bay Area?

[armchairgmParticipant]

Sniper you were on right track shortly after you posted that Woj said Dame told Blazers to hire Kidd so looks as though Kidd may be the frontrunner.

[Scrooge McDuckParticipant]

Udoka played for Portland State. Joerger is an alum from Cascadia in Portland. That’s irrelevant.

I’d go Atkinson. CJ/Dame aren’t incapable of playing defense. Melo is a stud on defense when he’s motivated. Look at the Knicks and Thibs defensive schemes. Portland has mere potential to play D at a level like Golden State

Take a flyer on Howard. He’s brilliant but too soft to win.

please, not Billups

[RUDEBOY-Participant]

Jason Kidd Announced today he wants his name removed from consideration for the portland job. Maybe Dame informed Kidd he plans to leave?

[armchairgmParticipant]

Kidd said he didn’t like public nature of Dame endorsing him so soon after Stotts was fired and the optics of it.

[sniperParticipant]

That whole situation seems odd to me. Hard to believe Dame wouldn’t check with Kidd before making that statment. I wonder if the Lakers (or just LeBron) are having second thoughts about Vogel, and Kidd is sending the message that he wants to remain with the organization, but he’s in demand and not going to stay on as an assistant forever.

[armchairgmParticipant]

Pelinka fully endorsed Vogel at the exit meetings so I don’t think he will get fired before next season.

[HitsterParticipant]

JVG returning to coaching after 14 years would be a big step to take as he clearly has had other offers whilst doing his media work.
D’Antoni would seem a good fit with them being an offence based team and looking to win now but he is 71 years old now and would he be a real longer term appointment and does he want the hassle and pressure of another top job at his age I wonder?

[OhCanada-Participant]

The coach doesn’t matter. They need to trade Mcollum and are too scared to pull the trigger. Their two best players impact the game in the exact some way and neither are that great on defense. So if one of them is making a play the other is usually watching. Thats what happened in the double OT game, Lilliard made play after play and Mcollum got cold just watching him so when it was his time to contribute he was out of rhythm. It’s clearly not gonna work with those two so they might as well start looking at their options.

[HitsterParticipant]

McCollum is a very good player and as the go to guy on a team could easily be well over a 25ppg player but he has $100 million on a 3 year deal still to run and turns 30 this year. The Pacers would likely want proven assets rather than picks back. if they could get the right younger players it could widen Lillard’s window as he is nearly 31 now. But are many teams going to give up younger players for a near 30 year old none All star on over $30 million a year.

Ideally the Blazers could flip McCollum for a proven frontcourter from another team who has a logjam there but are there many guys of roughly his age and ability in that situation or they would have to take on salary dumps to make trade work. The Knicks do have cap space and awere back in the play offs under Thibs and could absorb MCCollum’s salary but wouldn’t have assets to give up and would ideally need a third team in the trade to send a proven player to Portland.

Or do Portland look to blow it up and move Lillard. He is owed potentially $195 million over the next 4 years but is a proven franchise player and his trade value can only go down from now on as he ages and his contract runs down. They would get top dollar for him at the moment. It’s radical but unless they could make right move with MCCollum are the team ever going to really go much more than reach the play offs in the Lillard era?

[armchairgmParticipant]

Becky Hammon, Dawn Staley, and Brent Barry also in mix for this one.

[armchairgmParticipant]

Billups and Hammon are the finalist for the job according to Woj that are getting 2nd interviews this week.

[armchairgmParticipant]

D’Antoni also getting a 2nd interview.

[armchairgmParticipant]

Portland seems to be split ownership prefers Hammond and front office prefers Billups will be interesting who wins out.

[armchairgmParticipant]

Billups is the man as the dominoes continue to fall pretty quickly since Boston job was filled.

[Author]

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