In his fourth season with the Trailblazers, Chauncey Billups appears to have the team headed in the right direction, and the team has rewarded him with a multi-year contract extension.
This season, Portland finished 36-46, the best they’ve done during Billups’ four-year tenure. And while his 117-211 overall record isn’t anything to gush over, what he’s accomplished with a lack of superstar talent is admirable.
“I’m just so happy, with what we’ve done and where I think we can go,” said Billups. “So much promise here. I’m pumped about it.”
The growth that Billups has managed to cultivated satisfied team management, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
“The defensive improvement that we’ve seen, for us to be the third-best defense in the league in the second half of the season. That’s meaningful and substantive,” said general manager Joe Cronin, who received an extension of his own this past week. “And that’s what we’ve been trying to build. And that’s a what we’re going to point to moving forward, this is who we are.”
The team also boosted its scoring average after the All-Star break, from 109.2 ppg to 114.3 ppg, which is another sign that the team is headed in a positive direction.
They were led in scoring by Anfernee Simons, who averaged 19.3 ppg.
Hopefully management can upgrade the roster in the Draft and offseason and Billups can continue pushing them to a winning record, which they haven’t had since the 2020-21 season (42-30).
That’s something the 5x All-Star, NBA Champion and Basketball Hall of Famer known as “Mr. Big Shot” feels good about.
“I just feel very good about where we’re at, and now I understand how long it takes to build a culture. I feel like we’ve done that,” Billups said. “I think the tell tale of that, for any coaches, is if at some point when your team kind of takes on your personality and how you believe the game should be played, I think you’ve gotten there.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Billups will return to Portland to continue developing the team’s young talent.
