Most NBA coaches already have a clear understanding of their team’s strengths and weaknesses for the upcoming 2023-24 season. However, Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups does not yet have a solid grasp of these aspects.
The uncertain Damian Lillard situation is a big concern for the team. Will he be traded soon, later, or not at all?
Many people believe that the point guard, who has been recognized seven times as an All-NBA player, will be traded soon. However, the team’s coach cannot confirm this as the training camp is coming up quickly. Currently, the point guard is still a part of the team, while any potential trades are being considered. The coach has the important task of guiding a group of young players who are eagerly observing his every move.
Billups is in a crucial time as he enters his third season. Since taking over in June 2021, the Blazers have had a tough time, with a record of 60-104 in two seasons. This is the toughest stretch the team has had since the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, when they went 53-111 in coach Nate McMillan’s first two seasons.
The Blazers had a successful period under McMillan, reaching .500 in the 2007-08 season and making the playoffs for three consecutive years. Now they are at a critical juncture, potentially facing a complete rebuild if Lillard leaves. The team and its staff will be closely watched by their dedicated fan base for any signs of progress.
Billups, who turns 47 on Monday, has been supported by the players and many fans. Center Jusuf Nurkić said the team still enjoys playing under Billups, and only 10% of fans in a poll cited him as the main reason for Portland’s struggles, ranking behind ownership, the general manager, and the players.
Billups became a star player and leader of the 2004 Detroit Pistons’ championship team. However, injuries affected his team in the 2022-23 season, and their weak defense and sputtering offense led to several blown leads. The Portland Trail Blazers had a disappointing end to the season, winning only twice in their final 17 games, with their star player Lillard sidelined for the last 10 games.
During the recent meetings in Chicago, Billups talked about the upcoming NBA season.
NBA.com: You played 17 seasons in this league, more than 1,000 games. You’ve been a head coach for two. Do you think you’ve made the full transition?
Billups: Absolutely. I’m all in. Yes. Yes.
Does it feel the way you thought it would? What did you think about coaches when you were playing?
I always admired and respected the coaches I played for. I never argued or talked back to them, no matter if I was playing or not. I also expect the same level of respect from others, just like how I show respect to my teammates.
Coaching has been a lot of fun. But when I talk to former players that are thinking about coaching, I tell ‘em, ‘You’ve got to really be ready, man. Because the demands on your time are 10 times more than being a player. But if you love it – like, really love it – you won’t think about that.’ It’s so much fun.
You spent one season on Ty Lue’s staff with the Clippers in 2020-21. And six as a broadcaster with ESPN and the Clippers. Is there anything else you would have liked to do to prepare for this job?
Becoming a coach wasn’t an easy decision for me. And just as I made up my mind, I got the opportunity to coach the Clippers. However, I only stayed there for one year. Maybe if I had more time there, like two or three years, I would have been better prepared. Coaching is a continuous learning process.
But how do I feel right now, going into my third year, as opposed to going into my first year? Totally different. My confidence is totally different. I know what I didn’t know then. I know how to play, I know how to teach, I know how – I’ve got it now. I’m really settled into the job and I feel good about it. That’s a big deal.
Your team is waiting for a mighty big shoe to drop, with Damian Lillard’s status still unresolved. That can’t be ideal. How does it not become a negative, a distraction?
Yeah, yeah. Obviously it’s unsettling, it’s difficult. But for me, all I can do, I’m responsible for giving my best to who we have. I don’t know how it’s going to play out. There’s nothing I can do to control it. But I do know who we have on our team right now and who I’ve been working with this summer. Who I’m excited about. All I can really do is pour myself into our guys. And see what happens whenever that happens. I’m excited about Shaedon’s progress. And coaching Scoot [Henderson] and Ant [Anfernee Simons].
Figuring out what happens with Dame? Everybody knows how I feel about Dame and my opportunity to coach him. We’ll just see. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’ll be ready to do the best I can.
I saw reports that a majority of your fans still support GM Joe Cronin’s commitment to getting the best return in any Lillard trade.
Look, we have incredible fans. Everybody in the NBA knows we have a fan base that is top-notch. The truth of the matter is, no matter what, they’re still going to be Dame fans. One hundred percent of our fan base will be Dame fans – it doesn’t matter where he’s playing. But they’re also going to be Trail Blazer fans.
Any sense that Lillard lobbying publicly for a trade and where he prefers to go could drain the goodwill he’s built up there?
Dame has been incredible. To the fans of Portland, to our organization. He hasn’t been negative at all to anybody in our organization. Dame has been a stand-up guy. A professional the whole way through. It’s the business at hand. I don’t think there’s pressure on either side.
As this drags on, though, would it be hard for him or the circumstances to not hurt your team’s situation?
I’m not sure. Dame is one of the most stable human beings I’ve ever been around. He’s not about any type of drama. So this whole process probably weighs very heavy on him. It’s just not who he is.
But he’s at a crossroads in his career, and he’s doing what he feels is best for him and his family. I’m always going to be supportive of that.
What should excite people about guard Shaedon Sharpe in Year 2?
The steps he made last year. If you watched him at the end, he was lights out. I think he’s worked very hard since then to get better. It was a small sample size, but he was playing against a lot of those teams’ No. 1 defensive player. He was getting some tough coverages and he still was getting things done. I was very impressed with him.
You kept tight reins on his minutes, right?
I’m not a coach who’s going to throw you out there and say, ‘Just do whatever you want to do.’ You’ve got to put in the work. There were nights when his minutes were cut short because he wasn’t playing the right way. Without the enthusiasm that he showed at other times. So we’ll get somebody out there who’s going to play the right way – a lot of that was coaching. Me saying, ‘You’re a rookie. We believe in you. But you’ve got to learn this game the right way. I’m not just going to let you cut corners. I don’t coach that way.’
Naturally there is a ton of excitement about Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 pick in the Draft. What’s realistic for him as a first-year player?
Scoot is going to be a star in this league. He plays both sides of the floor with ferocity. He is very, very driven. He’s a playmaker, he’s a real point guard. Got some leadership about him. He looks like he’s the starting safety of the Denver Broncos. He’s going to be an exciting player for the whole world to watch but our fan base, they can rest assured they’ll be entertained.
How does Jerami Grant fit in with this young core? At age 29, his new five-year, $160 million contract drew criticism as an overpay for a guy whose timeline is out of sync with most of the roster.
I think Jerami fits in perfectly to what we’re doing. He’s a guy who loves to play the game. Unselfish, both offensively and defensively. Plays fast. Wants to play the right way. He’s going to be perfect for our young guys. He’s excited as well to be back.
Last thing: What do you think will have a bigger impact this season – the flopping violation calls or coaches having a second replay challenge?
I think after a while, the flopping will calm down. That’s a pretty good-sized penalty [a free throw against the offending team]. The challenge, I’m really happy about that one. That’s going to decide some games.
You used fewer challenges, 10, than any of your peers last season. Will that change?
Mm-hmm. I always felt like, say there was a challengeable call in the second quarter, two- or three-point game, unless my best player has picked up his fourth [foul], there were so many possessions left that we could make that up and not take the chance of losing it. I told my guys don’t come over doing this [spinning his raised index finger in the ‘replay’ gesture].
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