Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Sports
Sports

Terry Stotts Scores Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach Position

Posted byBy ABS Contributor | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

Perhaps there is something about Terry Stotts that overrides his 115-168 record as an NBA head coach. Usually, such an underwhelming aggregate record would signal that being the head man is above his head. And yet, the Portland Trail Blazers chose Stotts to take over their team. It is a curious hire to say the least.

Being 43 games under .500 just does not inspire much optimism about his skill set. As an assistant, Stotts has been considered a gem. Even Dallas coach Rick Carlisle, Stotts’ boss for the last four seasons, recommended him for Trail Blazers job.

Stotts, 54, replaces Kaleb Canales, who went 8-15 in an interim role after Nate McMillan was fired.

Stotts and Canales emerged as the finalists for the permanent job, and the men reportedly interviewed with owner Paul Allen over the weekend at the London Olympics. Canales has been in the Trail Blazers organization since 2005. It is unclear if he will remain with the club.

“Terry is one of the elite offensive minds in the NBA, has extensive experience with multiple organizations and was instrumental in the Dallas Mavericks winning the 2011 NBA championship,” general manager Neil Olshey said. “He understands the vision for the future of the franchise, appreciates the process involved and will create an environment on the court that will produce championship habits.”

While the team may develop championship habits, it appears to be several seasons away from contending for championship banners.

The roster as constructed is interesting, yet unproven. LeMarcus Aldridge is their best player. The rest of the roster is replete with ordinary talent.

“I’m very pleased to be part of a great franchise in a beautiful city with such a proud history,” Stotts said in a news release. “I look forward to working hard with Neil and our players toward the ultimate goal of bringing another championship to Portland.”

Stotts coached Atlanta to a 52-85 record after replacing Lon Kruger in December 2002. He was an assistant with Golden State before getting his second chance as a head coach with Milwaukee in 2005. He led the Bucks to the playoffs in 2006, but was fired toward the end of the following season.

Hard to see how he will succeed in Portland.

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top