Following his now Hall of Fame playing career with the Detroit Pistons, Chauncey Billups transitioned into a career in coaching. Ahead of this year's regular-season finale, the longtime point guard received an answer about his future with the Portland Trail Blazers.
In the early stages of the 2025 campaign, Billups looked like he could be on his way out in Portland. However, the team managed to turn things around in a big way in the second half of the year. The Trail Blazers are still near the bottom of the standings in the Western Conference, but Billups had them looking like a much more competitive squad.
The Blazers' front office appears to like what they saw from the team the last few months. On Sunday morning, reports emerged that Billups has agreed to a multi-year extension to remain as head coach.
Billups has had a .550 winning percentage since Jan. 19 – with Blazers ranking in top-five in defense during that span, per ESPN Research – while developing emerging talent in Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, Donovan Clingan and Toumani Camara. https://t.co/sCLjGYGwU8
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 13, 2025
Since his tenure in Portland began, the Blazers have gone through a massive shift. After trading away franchise cornerstone Damian Lillard, the roster has embraced a youth movement. This caused a noticeable dip in the standings, but things are looking up as of late. The Blazers managed to see a nice bump in their win total this year, going from 21 to 35.
Over the past few years, Portland has managed to secure promising young talent through the draft and trades. Standout prospects include Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, and recent lottery picks Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan. Currently with the ninth-worst record in the league, Portland will bring in another top pick this summer in the 2025 NBA Draft.
After pulling off a big turnaround this season, Billups finds himself with some job security in Portland. Under this new deal, he'll help continue leading the Blazers through this rebuild in 2026 and beyond.
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