The Trail Blazers and coach Terry Stotts have mutually agreed to part ways after nine seasons together, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Stotts, 63, has been star guard Damian Lillard‘s only NBA coach, Woj noted. The Blazers are coming off a first-round playoff loss to the Nuggets — Portland’s fourth first-round exit in five seasons.
The one time the Blazers did get out of the first round in that span, they advanced all the way to the Western Conference finals, losing in four straight games to the Warriors in 2019.
Stotts began coaching the Blazers in 2012 and owns a 402-318 record in Portland. He has also served as head coach of the Bucks and Hawks, and carries a 517-486 record in 13 seasons overall.
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported earlier Friday that the Blazers would target Lakers assistant Jason Kidd in the event of a coaching change.
ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy, Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups, Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni and Michigan’s Juwan Howard are also among the candidates, Wojnarowski added.
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