Chauncey Billups Rumors: Clippers Assistant Seen as 'Likely' Pick for Blazers HC Job

As the Portland Trail Blazers continue to search for a new head coach, they are reportedly zeroing in on a former NBA All-Star to replace Terry Stotts. 

Per John Hollinger of The Athletic, Chauncey Billups is seen by league sources as the "likely choice" to become Portland's next head coach. 

Stotts parted ways with the Blazers on Friday, one day after the team was eliminated from the playoffs with a 126-115 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 of the Western Conference first round. 

Portland star Damian Lillard told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that Los Angeles Lakers assistant Jason Kidd is "the guy I want" to replace Stotts. 

On Sunday, Kidd told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski he withdrew from consideration for the Trail Blazers job. 

"Portland's a first-class organization and will have great candidates for its head coaching job, but I've decided not to be one of them," Kidd said. "Whoever they choose will have big shoes to fill from Terry [Stotts]."

Wojnarowski noted that the Blazers had yet to formally request an interview with any potential candidates, but listed Billups, ESPN NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy, Brooklyn Nets assistant Mike D'Antoni and Michigan head coach Juwan Howard as people expected to be considered. 

Billups is in his first season as an assistant on Tyronn Lue's staff with the Clippers. He spent five years as a television broadcaster and studio analyst with ESPN before becoming the lead color commentator for Clippers games during the 2019-20 season. 

The Blazers made eight consecutive playoff appearances under Stotts. They won one playoff series in 2014 and 2016 and advanced to the Western Conference Finals in 2019.