Tiago Splitter was directly asked whether he'd like to continue coaching the Portland Trail Blazers after this season. His response was a simple "yes."
Yet Splitter's future in Portland is anything but simple. The Blazers are finally under new ownership, and the timing of Splitter's situation, combined with Tom Dundon's arrival, adds another layer of complexity.
Dundon is a hands-on owner who successfully turned around the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes with that approach. It wouldn't be surprising if he decides to bring in a fresh face who better aligns with his vision, whatever that may be.
But at the same time, Splitter has made a compelling case to remain in Portland beyond this year.
Blazers' successful season makes it harder to move on from Tiago Splitter
He was thrown into the fire after Chauncey Billups' departure, just one game into the season. With such a young roster and relatively inexperienced coach, this season easily could've fallen apart before it even really started. Especially with the amount of injuries this roster has had to overcome.
It hasn't been perfect by any means, and Portland probably lost a few games they should've won due to Splitter's growing pains, particularly when it comes to late-game execution. But to his credit, Splitter turned this season around, resulting in an impressive 42-40 record. That exceeded the projected win total entering the year, despite all the unforeseen circumstances. It's also the Blazers' first winning season in five years.
It was a frustrating season at times, but Splitter has this team trending in the right direction at the ideal time. They've finally looked like the team that general manager Joe Cronin envisioned when constructing this roster, as the defense has taken a major step forward, contributing to that end-of-season playoff push.
As a result of this relative success, Portland has already held contract extension discussions with Splitter, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on The Stein Line. Yet as Fischer adds, Dundon also continues to keep their options open, even considering coaches at the college level.
It's important to note that Dundon has previously stated he'd rather prioritize coaching talent over experience, as he doesn't want to pay for the resume. That's another factor that could work in Splitter's favor, as he does have experience, but not quite at the NBA head-coaching level.
We could see the decision going either way pretty easily. But the Blazers are trending in the right direction after their first winning season of the rebuild, which just so happens to come under Splitter. Both the roster and Splitter will continue to improve as they gain more experience, and this season has made a compelling case for not breaking that trajectory.