Story perspectives

Blazers hire Micah Nori, Lillard set to return.

6/23/2026

Summary

Blazers Hire Nori

Portland Trail Blazers hired Micah Nori, former Timberwolves assistant, as head coach on a one-year contract with 2027-28 and 2028-29 options.
Owner Tom Dundon, who bought the team in late March, hired Nori after Tiago Splitter left for the Chicago Bulls.
Splitter, interim coach after Chauncey Billups’s arrest, posted a 42-40 record.
Damian Lillard will return and the Blazers have no 2026 draft pick.

Summary

Minnesota Replace Nori

Minnesota must replace Micah Nori (assistant) after he served as Chris Finch (head coach) aide in the 2024 playoffs, after stints with the Raptors, Kings, Nuggets and Pistons before joining Minnesota in 2021.
Portland’s coaching search considered Chris Jent (coach), Taylor Jenkins (coach) and Pablo Prigioni (assistant) while the Blazers hold the No. 14 2026 draft pick.
Minnesota also traded Julius Randle (player) and re-signed Ayo Dosunmu (player) to a long-term extension.

Summary

Portland Hires Nori

Portland hired Micah Nori as head coach.
His contract includes a sliding-scale salary tied to team performance and specific incentives.
General Manager Joe Cronin said the franchise conducted a search with more than a dozen interviews and chose Nori to reinforce accountability, player development and team success.
The hire makes Portland the last NBA club to fill a head-coach vacancy, ending a season as the only team without a leader.

History

Historical Context

In 1989, Chicago owner Jerry Reinsdorf promoted assistant Phil Jackson to head coach; Jackson later guided the Bulls to a 72-10 season in 1995-96 and three titles, showing ownership-driven coaching changes can reshape a franchise. In 2024, Portland followed that model when owner Tom Dundon approved Micah Nori’s hiring and a 2026 draft-pick trade, echoing the same strategic lever for future competitiveness.

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Blazers Hire Nori

Portland Trail Blazers hired Micah Nori, former Timberwolves assistant, as head coach on a one-year contract with 2027-28 and 2028-29 options.
Owner Tom Dundon, who bought the team in late March, hired Nori after Tiago Splitter left for the Chicago Bulls.
Splitter, interim coach after Chauncey Billups’s arrest, posted a 42-40 record.
Damian Lillard will return and the Blazers have no 2026 draft pick.

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