Report: Terry Stotts, Blazers Parted Ways After Failing to Reach Contract Extension

The Portland Trail Blazers and Terry Stotts discussed a new contract before deciding to go their separate ways. 

Per Jeff Zillgitt and Mark Medina of USA Today, the Blazers and Stotts "didn’t come to terms on an extension so the two sides parted ways."

Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey announced on June 4 a mutual parting of ways with Stotts. 

It's unclear when contract talks between Portland and Stotts occurred, but the separation came one day after the team's season-ending 126-115 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 of the Western Conference playoffs. 

All-Star point guard Damian Lillard told reporters in the wake of the defeat that Portland, as presently constructed, isn't good enough to compete with the best teams in the league during the playoffs. 

"Obviously, where we are isn't good enough to win a championship if it's not good enough to get out of a first-round series with two of their best three or four players not on the floor," Lillard said.

There was speculation before the postseason that Stotts' future with the organization was on thin ice.

Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported May 5 that barring "a playoff miracle of sorts" it was unlikely that Stotts would return for the 2021-22 season. 

Stotts did have a successful nine-season run with the Trail Blazers. His 402 wins are the second-most in franchise history. They made the postseason in each of the past eight seasons but were eliminated in the first round in four of the past five years.