NBA: Ranking Mavs opening among head coaching vacancies around the league

Ranking the NBA head coaching vacancies: 7. Portland Trail Blazers

In Terry Stotts’ first season coaching the Portland Trail Blazers, he raised the team’s win total by five wins, but they missed the playoffs. The next eight seasons he and Damian Lillard led the team to the playoffs, although they notched just three series wins in those eight years.

Lillard is still around, and Portland is looking for a new coach to take this roster and contend for a title before Lillard is either too old or decides he wants to leave (likely by forcing a trade). The benefit of this job is stepping into a win-now team with a top-10 player.

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The downside is the timetable and gargantuan expectations. If a new head coach cannot immediately turn this roster into a respectable defensive squad, and deliver a series win or two, they may have an incredibly short leash, especially if the franchise trades Lillard and tears down.

For a first-time head coach such as Chauncey Billups or Becky Hammond, this is a boom-or-bust post. Win right away with Lillard and you boost your stock and likely secure a second job whenever their time in Portland ends. Fail to work immediate magic, and it could be one-and-done.

That makes the Portland vacancy the worst one in the league, despite the presence of Lillard. Head coaches should want stability and timetable more so than simply short-term talent, and Portland does not offer those. A year from now it could look very different.

Whether an NBA head coach is looking for their first job or their fifth, it pays to think critically about the possibilities and choose the best situation possible. Not every candidate gets that chance, and there are only 30 of these jobs in the whole world.

For those who can pick, looking more towards Boston or New Orleans and less towards Washington or Portland looks like the right move.