Fewer than 24 hours since beng eliminated by the Denver Nuggets, the Portland Trail Blazers announced head coach Terry Stotts would not be returning.
In what was decribed as a mutual agreement, the decision brings an end to a nine season stint in Portland for Stotts.
Stotts leaves Portland with a 402-318 record, reaching the postseason in the final eight years he was in charge. Frustratingly, those eight playoff appearances included five first round exits including this year's 4-2 series loss to the Nuggets.
Thank you, Coach Stotts ❤️ https://t.co/dLHJdAEajZ pic.twitter.com/fGzPnuyvyL
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) June 5, 2021
Portland president of basketball operations Neil Olshey had this to say about Stotts.
“I have the utmost respect for Terry and what he has accomplished these past nine seasons,” said Olshey via the team website. “This was a difficult decision on both a personal and professional level but it’s in the best interest of the franchise to move in another direction. Terry will always hold a special place in the Trail Blazer family and the Portland community. We relied on the integrity, professionalism and consistency he brought to the job every day and we wish he and Jan nothing but the best.”
The nine years with the franchise followed two years in both Milwaukee and Atlanta, leaving Stotts as one of the most experienced head coaches in the game.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski named Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups, Jeff Van Gundy, Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni, and Michigan’s Juwan Howard as early leading candidates for the vacancy.
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