Report: D'Antoni interested in Trail Blazers' head coaching job
Brooklyn Nets assistant coach Mike D'Antoni is seriously interested in the Portland Trail Blazers' vacant head coaching position, a source told The Athletic's Sam Amick.
The 70-year-old is reportedly among the list of coaches expected to be candidates following Terry Stotts' exit. However, it's unclear if Portland will reciprocate D'Antoni's interest, Amick notes.
D'Antoni is likely the most experienced candidate on the Trail Blazers' reported shortlist. The two-time Coach of the Year has logged 16 NBA seasons as a head coach, most recently with the Houston Rockets. He went 217-101 over four seasons with the Rockets while making the playoffs every year, including a trip to the Western Conference finals in 2018.
He left Houston following the 2019-20 season after his contract expired. D'Antoni later re-emerged in Brooklyn on Steve Nash's staff after the latter was hired as a first-time head coach. The two have combined to lead the star-studded Nets to a 48-24 record, and the club is now two wins away from the Eastern Conference finals.
Portland is reportedly interested in hiring Chauncey Billups, who's currently on Tyronn Lue's coaching staff with the Los Angeles Clippers. Billups hasn't yet worked as an NBA head coach, but Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard has supported hiring him.
The Boston Celtics are reportedly also considering Billups for their own recently vacated head coaching position.