Micah Nori is entering a high-risk, high-reward first year as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.
The good news is that he finally landed his first NBA head coaching gig. And as a first-year head coach, it's rare for Nori to take on a playoff-caliber team. He's already expressed gratitude for that this offseason.
But then again, there's a downside to joining this messy Blazers situation: Nori must ask why this head-coaching vacancy exists if interim head coach Tiago Splitter had this team back in the playoffs.
New owner Tom Dundon and general manager Joe Cronin have immediate win-now expectations, which may or may not be realistic with the roster Nori is taking over. He has much more to sort out than Splitter did last year.
Portland handed Micah Nori a messy roster
Splitter did a solid job keeping this young team afloat as they dealt with seemingly never-ending injuries last season. He was also playing with house money in terms of making the most of this unexpected audition after Chauncey Billups was placed on leave amid federal indictments just one game into the season.
Nori is already dealing with an eager new owner, a general manager who could use him a scapegoat if things go south, and a roster among the most puzzlingly constructed in the league.
It's going to be a process for Nori to see if Damian Lillard returns to form after his gap year from a torn Achilles. He also has to see how Ja Morant fits into this ascending young core and whether he ultimately helps or hurts that winning formula they successfully established with last season's group.
With Nori's contract uniquely structured in the Blazers' favor, he's essentially on a three-year, year-to-year deal. The odds appear stacked against him, but it's essentially an opportunity Nori had no choice but to take. Even if this specific opportunity doesn't pan out, Nori has successfully cleared the interview process and now has NBA head-coaching experience, which should help him find a gig elsewhere if needed.
Micah Nori could win Coach of the Year if he can figure out the Blazers
Given the steep, immediate expectations from Portland's front office in a Western Conference that should be healthier and deeper (with less tanking) this season, it's fair to wonder whether Nori truly knows what he's getting himself into with the Blazers.
That said, if he can overcome these hurdles, it will only strengthen Nori's case for Coach of the Year compared to other candidates in the league.
Nori currently has the sixth-best odds (+1400) to win Coach of the Year on DraftKings Sportsbook, only behind Toronto Raptors' Darko Rajaković, Utah Jazz' Will Hardy, Philadelphia 76ers' Nick Nurse, Miami Heat's Erik Spoelstra, and Minnesota Timberwolves' Chris Finch.
All eyes will be on Portland heading into the season, with so many storylines and unanswered questions to resolve. If this revamped backcourt works out and talent wins out over fit, it's easy to see a scenario where the Blazers have a better roster overall than last year's 42-win team. Pair Lillard's return with Morant's arrival, plus the internal development of Portland's youth, and they should be a playoff threat out West.
If Nori can finish this puzzle with the imperfect pieces he was handed, he'll have a strong Coach of the Year case to make in his first season.
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