Path Blazers finalizing deal with Chauncey Billups to be new head coach

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One other ragged participant is headed for an NBA head coaching job.

Chauncey Billups and the Portland Path Blazers are working toward finalizing a deal that would possibly possibly doubtless doubtless intention Billups the franchise’s next coach, a person familiar with the microscopic print told USA TODAY Sports.

The person requested anonymity because they don’t seem to be licensed to focus on publicly on the negotiations.

Billups, an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers, has Sport 4 against Phoenix on Saturday, so the deal would possibly possibly doubtless possibly moreover not be done till after that game.

Hall of Famer Jason Kidd reached a deal with the Dallas Mavericks to become their next coach, and three of the four coaches within the NBA’s conference finals are ragged gamers: Atlanta’s Nate McMillan, Phoenix’s Monty Williams and the Clippers’ Ty Lue.

Billups, 44, spent 17 years within the NBA and acquired a championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004. He was named Finals MVP. He was moreover a 5-time All-Indispensable person, three-time All-NBA need and two-time All-Protection need.

Billups wished to return to the NBA in some skill and targeted on coaching. Lue employed him before the launch of this season.

“He’s reach a good distance within the final summer to now and he’s save the work in and now he’s going to have a bet to hotfoot to a crew from (a) new launch having his have blueprint on the crew,” Lue told reporters all around the Western conference semifinals. “As a long way as being a coach, just appropriate his poise, I suspect he relates to the gamers. Him being ready to talk and being ready to educate PG (Paul George) on the level guard feature how to intention plays, what he’s attempting to rep in assorted instances, and he’s been working with PG all year.”

From the beginning of Portland’s coaching search, Billups was excessive on the list of total supervisor Neil Olshey’s candidates to replace Terry Stotts. The Blazers moreover interviewed San Antonio Spurs assistant Becky Hammon and Mike D’Antoni.

Billups is tasked with taking a crew featuring Damian Lillard and maximizing its skill in a deep Western Convention. The sixth-seeded Blazers lost to Denver in six video games within the first round of the playoffs.

Billups brings automatic respect as a championship level guard who can join with gamers.

Note Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt.