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We figured Chauncey Billups would be in demand as a head coaching candidate in the NBA, but he may get the nod sooner than later.
The current LA Clippers assistant coach is the leading candidate to become the next Portland Trail Blazers head coach, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Shams Charania on Friday.
The Portland Trail Blazers are locked in on Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups as their new head coach and are hopeful to finalize a deal, sources tell me and @sam_amick.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 26, 2021
Billups is in his first season as an assistant coach with the Clippers, who are currently playing in the Western Conference Finals. His hiring to LA’s staff was seen as a coup for the organization, with Billups drawing interest as a head coach last season before entering the NBA coaching waters with a season on Ty Lue’s staff.
Now, given the wording of Charania’s tweet, the interest stated is very much on the Blazers’ side, and it’s unclear if Billups has mutual interest or not. Billups clearly seems to have ambition to be a head coach, but we’ll see if he’s interested in this particular job or not, you never know how it will proceed. But we’ll keep you posted if it does.