Former NBA Coach of the Year gets let go by Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are parting ways with the most notable name on head coach Chauncey Billups’ staff.

Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian reported on Sunday that the Blazers have decided to let go of assistant coach Scott Brooks. Both Brooks and his fellow assistant Rodney Billups will not have their contracts renewed by the team.

The news means that the Blazers will have at least three vacancies to fill on Billups’ staff for next season. Assistant coach Steve Hetzel left the team last month to join the staff of new Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez.

Brooks, 58, was the NBA Coach of the Year in 2010 and led the Oklahoma City Thunder to an NBA Finals berth in 2012. He was a head coach in the league for 12 total seasons (for both the Thunder and the Washington Wizards) and owns a career head coaching record of 521-414 (.557).

After being fired by Washington in 2021, Brooks joined Billups’ staff in Portland and had spent the last three seasons in that role. While Brooks gained a strong reputation for his player development skills in Oklahoma City, the Blazers have mostly struggled to develop their young guys lately. They also posted a Western Conference-worst record this season of 21-61 (.256) but will still be running it back next year in at least one notable way .

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