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The Portland Trail Blazers and head coach Terry Stotts have mutually agreed to part ways after yet another first-round elimination for their team from the NBA Playoffs, their fourth in five seasons.
Terry Stotts had a fairly successful stint with the side, though, leading the Portland Trail Blazers to eight consecutive playoff appearances. He was 402-318 in his nine seasons as the team's head coach.
His best post-season came in the 2018-19 campaign when the Portland Trail Blazers reached the conference finals.
Dissecting the Portland Trail Blazers decision to part ways with Terry Stotts
Terry Stotts was the second most successful coach for the Portland Trail Blazers as per his winning record. However, the team seemed to struggle in the post-season for too long under Terry Stotts' reign, despite making it there for eight consecutive seasons, the longest active streak in the NBA currently.
It was only fair for the Portland Trail Blazers front-office to see the franchise move in a new direction, as mentioned by the team's president of basketball operations Neil Olshey. Here's what he said:
"I have the utmost respect for Terry Stotts and what he has accomplished these past nine seasons... 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."
With star players Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum under contract until at least the 2023-24 season, the Portland Trail Blazers have very little time to convert into a championship contender. On top of that, Lillard posted a cryptic Instagram post with a caption that sparked speculation surrounding his future.
Teams would circle a player of his caliber in no time, and to keep hold of him until he is in his prime would be the Portland Trail Blazers' primary objective. Lillard has been stellar for the side in the regular and post-season and has led them to wins single-handedly numerous times.
He has mentioned on several occasions that he wants to be with the team and help them achieve the best. But after several failed post-season campaigns, it could be difficult for the Blazers to keep hold of their MVP-caliber star.
A bold move to part ways with Terry Stotts right after their elimination from the 2021 NBA playoffs could make Lillard believe the team can compete for the title as soon as possible. Additionally, multiple sources have reported that he will have major input into the recruitment of the team's new head coach.
The latest reports by Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports suggest that Damian Lillard has made LA Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd his preference for the job, as per a conversation between the star and Yahoo Sports on Friday night. Lillard said, "Jason Kidd is the guy I want.”
If the Portland Trail Blazers do intend to keep hold of Damian Lillard and continue their attempts to find post-season success, Kidd could be a tremendous addition to their ranks. He was part of the the Lakers 2019-2020 championship winning season and was invaluable for the side in that run.
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