Micah Nori Reportedly Signs Blazers HC Contract to Replace Tiago Splitter Ahead of NBA Draft

Damian Lillard is set to make his regular-season return to the Portland Trail Blazers lineup under a new head coach.

Micah Nori, who has been serving as the Minnesota Timberwolves' lead assistant to head coach Chris Finch, will succeed Tiago Splitter as the Blazers' leader next season, Shams Charania of ESPN reported Tuesday.

Jason Quick of The Athletic reported Nori signed a one-year contract with team options for the next two seasons.

The news comes after Splitter was hired as the next head coach of the Chicago Bulls.

The Blazers played most of last season under Splitter, who was named interim head coach last October after Chauncey Billups was placed on leave.

Splitter went on to lead the Blazers to a 42-40 record and a play-in win over the Phoenix Suns before losing in the first round to the San Antonio Spurs.

NBA insider Jake Fischer previously reported the Blazers had discussed a contract extension with Splitter prior to the offseason.

According to Fischer, however, Splitter's future with the franchise was in question after the NBA approved the sale of the franchise to Tom Dundon in late March.

The Athletic's Jason Quick reported in April that Dundon had begun interviewing other head coaching candidates while the Blazers were still in the playoffs.

Portland will now hope that interview process helped the team land on a coach who can shape a postseason contender ahead of Lillard's regular-season return to a core featuring Jrue Holiday and Deni Avdija.

Nori is getting his first shot at an NBA head coaching role after being connected to the New York Knicks last summer.

The Knicks instead went with Mike Brown as Nori remained with the Timberwolves.

The Wolves have made five consecutive playoff appearances since Nori joined Finch's staff in 2021, including back-to-back Western Conference Finals runs in 2024 and 2025.

The Blazers will now hope that postseason experience can help the Timberwolves build on this year's return to the playoffs with a deeper run behind Lillard in 2027.