All signs pointed to 2024-25 being Chauncey Billups' swan song in Portland. He entered the season as one of three coaches on the hot seat before it even began. But this wasn't just a one-sided thing -- the Blazers and Billups were on course for a mutual parting. After all, this was far from the Damian Lillard-led team with playoff aspirations that Billups initially signed up to coach.
Billups had to endure years of tanking, which is also why it's unfair to evaluate the job he's done based on a 35.5 win percentage throughout his four seasons as head coach. Newly extended general manager Joe Cronin recognized this, recently offering Billups an extension of his own.
Chauncey Billups saved his job
NBA insider Chris Haynes reports that the Blazers and Bilups agreed to an extension, picking up his option for next season and adding two years to it. That makes his new contract set to expire following the 2027-28 season.
It's a polarizing decision that leaves the Blazers fan base divided. Some wanted a new voice with more experience, such as recently fired Taylor Jenkins or Michael Malone, to help get the Blazers back into the playoffs.
Meanwhile, others wanted to keep Billups around, especially given the surprising season the Blazers are just finishing off.
There were a few times throughout the season when the Blazers had embarrassing blowout losses, and Billups could have gotten the axe, such as the 45-point loss to the Grizzlies on Nov. 10.
As the season wore on, it was clear that Portland was content riding out this season with Billups -- in part because they didn't want to pay for another head coach -- with the assumption being they'd find another this summer. However, a surprising midseason turnaround changed the entire trajectory.
He made the Blazers an intriguing team with a bright future in the process
Marc Stein and Jake Fischer covered Billups' extension on The Stein Line, writing, "The Blazers are 22-18 in the season's second half entering Sunday's finale against the visiting Lakers. Sources say team officials have been impressed with Billups' contributions to Portland's strong finish to the season amid impressive development from Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara and some hopeful second-half signs from Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson."
The Blazers were impressed by the improvement from a record standpoint, but how they achieved that turnaround was equally important. Their young core took that next leap in their development and was a significant reason why Portland was in the play-in conversation for a stretch.
Billups was instrumental in that growth -- whether it was benching Sharpe, long talks with Henderson, etc., he found a way to hold everyone more accountable, particularly on the defensive end. That resulted in Portland ranking in the top six in defensive efficiency since the All-Star break.
In some aspects, the Blazers are starting to look like Billups' Detroit Pistons team of old. They may not have a clear-cut superstar, but they are extremely bought in defensively.
That identity also aligns well with the roster construction Cronin has been emphasizing throughout this rebuild. The Blazers committed to Cronin's vision for the roster, and now, Cronin is passing along that same vote of confidence in Billups.