The Blazers are bringing in former Wizards coach Scott Brooks to be the top assistant on Chauncey Billups’ coaching staff, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com.
Portland had been looking for a veteran coach to pair with Billups, who is entering his first venture as a head coach in the NBA. Lionel Hollins and Vinny Del were also in the mix, though Brooks ultimately beat them out for the position.
Brooks spent five years coaching the Wizards, compiling a 183-207 record, though the wins and losses do not tell the whole story. With John Wall on the sidelines for large parts of two seasons and the team managing through a COVID-filled campaign last year, Brooks did an admirable job, making the best lemonade with the lemons he received.
Despite that and Russell Westbrook’s endorsement, it was time for a new direction in Washington. The team is currently conducting second-round interviews with Wes Unseld Jr. and Jamahl Mosley and it has other interviews planned in the future.
As for Portland, Brooks will help Billups navigate during his first journey as a head coach in the league. The Blazers will look to make some moves this offseason to help Damian Lillard reach new heights during the 2021-22 season.
