Tiago Splitter Updates Blazers Future, Talks 'Exaggerations' Amid Contract Rumors

Portland Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter says he has a "good relationship" with owner Tom Dundon and general manager Joe Cronin as his team heads into the offseason without a permanent head coach in place.

"I've told you guys I want to stay," Splitter said during his Thursday exit interview following Tuesday's Game 5 elimination loss to the San Antonio Spurs. "But we've got to talk through some things, and figure it out."

When asked where he felt things stood between him and Blazers leadership, Splitter answered: "There's a lot of talking right now, and I think some of them are exaggerations, clickbait and stuff like that. I have a good relationship with Tom, with Joe. We just need some time, now.

"And I understand. It's a new owner. He's trying to figure out us as well, learn what we do, what we do wrong and good, and I guess he needs some time as part of it."

The Athletic's Jason Quick reported on April 21 that Splitter had recently expressed frustration with Dundon, whose purchase of the Blazers was approved in late March.

Splitter's complaints were over cost-cutting measures that impacted the availability of the team's masseuse, per Quick.

When asked about that report during the series, Splitter said he had told his team to avoid social media and was "trying to just focus on basketball."

According to Quick, some people outside the organization had also expressed concern over Dundon beginning a head coaching search before the Blazers were eliminated from the playoffs.

NBA insider Jake Fischer had reported earlier this month the Blazers had both held contract talks with Splitter and spoken with at least 15 other candidates for the head coaching job.

That list reportedly included former NBA coaches Tom Thibodeau and Michael Malone as well as St. Louis' Josh Schertz and Iowa's Ben McCollum, per Quick.

According to Quick, "the optics of looking for a coach — and general manager — while the team is currently in the playoffs is a practice generally frowned upon, and has given some in the industry pause about whether Portland is a desirable job."

Splitter was named interim head coach in October in place of Chauncey Billups. He led the team to a 42-40 record and their first playoff berth in five years despite expectations the team would fall short of the playoffs amid Damian Lillard's injury absence.

Blazers including Mattise Thybulle, Jrue Holiday and Donovan Clingan praised Splitter for his work to lead the Blazers to the No. 7 seed following their Game 5 elimination by the Spurs.

"On the court, there's a term where, if it's late in the shot clock and somebody throws you the ball, 'cause they don't have a good look, and you have to shoot it with no time left, they call it a grenade," Thybulle said Thursday. "And in a sense, that's kind of what Tiago was thrown.

"I've said it a bunch, but we beat the projections of what we were supposed to be capable of, with a [healthy] team, with a normal situation... Tiago took on a job that wasn't originally planned, and took on a roster that didn't get stable until the last couple games of the season."

Whoever coaches the Blazers next season could potentially get the chance to see Lillard join a young core led by Deni Avdija as the team looks to put together a deeper playoff run next season.

Whether or not Splitter returns to serve in that role will depend at least in part on which direction Dundon decides to take with his team this offseason.