The Portland Trail Blazers exceeded expectations in their first season under Tiago Splitter, finishing above .500 and returning to the postseason while being one of the most injured teams in the league. Despite the relative success and Splitter's compelling case to return as head coach next season, it may not have been enough.
Although Splitter is still in consideration, NBA insider Jake Fischer recently reported on The Stein Line that it's "unlikely that the Brazilian lands the job in a full-time capacity."
Tiago Splitter's head coaching chances get slimmer by the day
Under new owner Tom Dundon, it seemed like Portland was already leaning towards a new locker room voice regardless of how this season ultimately played out. That was apparent by the fact that they were already conducting their head coaching search while Splitter had this team back in the playoffs for the first time in five years.
Fischer said that the unconventional approach, combined with rumors of potential low-ball offers, had already resulted in a handful of assistant coaches around the league declining to participate in the process. He also named two veterans, Tom Thibodeau and Michael Malone, who also declined to speak with Portland while Splitter was still at the helm.
Add the premature coaching search to the list of things Dundon has done since taking over the Blazers that have already rubbed people the wrong way.
For what it's worth, general manager Joe Cronin addressed concerns about potential low-ball coaching offers in his exit interview, saying he wasn't worried about Dundon being willing or able to hit the number required to land someone.
But with this latest rumor from Fischer, it's increasingly looking like that "someone" will be an external addition rather than Splitter staying on, at least in a head-coaching capacity.
Steve Hetzel and Jared Dudley emerge in Blazers' wide coaching search
Fischer adds that Portland is planning to interview over 30 coaches for the role, consistent with its previously stated intent to cast a wide net of options, including coaches at the collegiate level.
Two of those 30+ names surfacing in Fischer's intel include Brooklyn's Steve Hetzel and Denver's Jared Dudley.
Hetzel has prior experience as a Blazers assistant from 2021-23, with two of those seasons aligning with Damian Lillard's first stint in Portland. Lillard has suggested some candidates in Portland's coaching search, Fischer confirms.
One potential roadblock in landing Hetzel? The New Orleans Pelicans.
The Pelicans are far ahead of the Blazers in narrowing down their coaching search, with Hetzel emerging as one of four finalists along with Darvin Ham, Rajon Rondo, and recently fired Jamahl Mosley. Fischer specifically named Hetzel and Ham as the two coaches who "have made strong impressions on Pelicans officials."
The other option would be Dudley, who was the Mavericks assistant coach from 2021-25 before joining the Nuggets last summer. Dundon has previously stated he'd rather prioritize coaching talent over experience, which could bode well for someone like Dudley taking the next step in his coaching career.
But with 30+ coaches, we'll certainly have plenty of other candidates emerge as the offseason progresses.
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