Chauncey Billups Reportedly Eyed for Suns, Nuggets HC Jobs Before Blazers Contract

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups was a target for the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets before signing a contract extension on Sunday, according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.

Per Stein and Fischer, Billups was "poised to emerge as a candidate" for both Phoenix and Denver. There was also a "presumption in league coaching circles" that he would have interest in the Nuggets' vacancy if he became a free agent.

Billups ultimately signed an extension with the Trail Blazers that will keep him under contract through the 2027-28 season, via NBA insider Chris Haynes.

His new deal came less than a week after Portland handed general manager Joe Cronin a multiyear extension of his own.

The Trail Blazers missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year during their 2024-25 campaign, but a strong finish to the season should provide optimism for the team moving forward.

Portland sat at just 13-28 through 41 games but has owned a 22-18 record since.

Team officials have been "impressed with Billups' contributions" to the Trail Blazers' second half of the season, per Stein and Fischer.

The Nuggets will be on the market for a new head coach during the offseason after surprisingly parting ways with Michael Malone on Tuesday. Denver sat at 47-32 prior to his firing.

Phoenix still has head coach Mike Budenholzer, but ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported Sunday that the "widespread anticipation throughout the league" is that the Suns are planning to let him go at the end of the season.

Phoenix owns a mere 36-45 record and is eliminated from postseason contention.

While Billups was reportedly coveted by multiple teams expected to be searching for new head coaches during the summer, he'll be staying in Portland.

The Trail Blazers will be expecting to build upon their promising 2024-25 campaign led by a young core that includes Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, Scoot Henderson and Toumani Camara.