With 28 years of NBA experience, 17 of them as an assistant coach, Micah Nori made sense as a strong hire for the Portland Trail Blazers. That's already proving to be the case early on with their 5-1 start to the season. Hopefully that remains the case for Nori, as he has a lot riding on this season despite the three-year deal.
Nori took a leap of faith when he accepted the head coaching position in Portland. Head coaching jobs are far from guaranteed, but Nori is more financially vulnerable because of this contract's unconventional structure. Although it's a three-year deal, it's really not, because the Blazers essentially made it year-to-year with team options in the second and third seasons.
J.B. Bickerstaff, President of the National Basketball Coaches Association, even called it "a slap in the face to our values."
Unfortunately, not the first and certainly not the last controversial thing new owner Tom Dundon has done to poorly reflect the Blazers organization since taking over. Nori took the high road when previously asked about it, saying he essentially needs this head-coaching experience because he's come up short in final interviews before for not having it. That catch-22 sounds like me trying to get a job out of college.
Micah Nori is making the most of his long-awaited head coaching chance
Hopefully this whole process and contract doesn't ultimately rub Nori the wrong way when it comes to having a long-term relationship and staying with Portland. He's clearly acing this audition and could have offers elsewhere, and I certainly wouldn't even blame him for leaving if that was the case and he left for somewhere he's more valued.
That said, there's at least something to be said about the Blazers being cheap or desperate enough, whatever you want to call it, to be the team that actually said yes to Nori in that head coaching role.
Over the offseason, he clearly articulated the problems that plagued Portland last season, outlining in more detail than I could fully retain his plans to address them. Good thing he's the head coach and not me, as we're seeing why he looks like the right hire early on in Portland.
Seven coaches in NBA history have gone on to win Coach of the Year in their first season, the last being Tom Thibodeau with the Chicago Bulls in 2010-11. Portland already has one coach on that list: Mike Schuler, dating back to the 1986-87 season. Nori is at least putting himself in the conversation early on with Portland exceeding expectations.
You can already see the ways this team has improved since moving on from Tiago Splitter. Some of that is the pieces they've brought in this offseason, but a large part of it is also credit to what Nori has cleaned up this summer. Defensive rebounding and turnovers stand out as points of emphasis, with Nori having this team win the possession battle on rebounds and taking care of the ball.
His vision is a great fit for the roster GM Joe Cronin constructed, which is also a sign of a good coach. This may not be his signature vision or preferred playstyle, but rather what he adapted to get the most out of this roster. It helps that there are similarities in coming over from the Minnesota Timberwolves, one being the Rudy Gobert/Donovan Clingan elite rim protection and the other having that two-way Jaden McDaniels/Toumani Camara type wing, a comparison Nori himself has even pointed out already on multiple occasions.
Simply put, Nori knew what was required to take this Blazers roster to the next level, and they've executed it well early on. He also knew what it would take to take his career to the next level, and he's executing that plan early with an incredibly strong start to his first season as head coach in Portland.
Hopefully this pairing continues to work, and he stays with the Blazers long term, but regardless, you have to be happy for Nori and his start to the season. This was essentially the only route to becoming a head coach this season, but under less-than-ideal circumstances with Dundon and immediate playoff expectations on such a puzzling roster.
So far, Nori's creativity and plan for this roster are figuring out that puzzle despite the imperfect pieces. His ability to make it work with the hand he's been dealt, both on and off the court, has genuinely impressed us as we start the season.
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