Blazers ‘part ways’ with Terry Stotts after another first-round exit

The Portland Trail Blazers and head coach Terry Stotts have mutually parted ways following yet another early exit from the playoffs.

The Portland Trail Blazers lost in the first round of the NBA playoffs for the fourth time in five years on Thursday at the hands of the third-seeded Denver Nuggets.

Another early exit has prompted a mutual agreement between the team and head coach Terry Stotts to part ways, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

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Stotts has been the head coach in Portland since 2012, the same year Blazers star Damian Lillard was drafted. He had two more years under his contract.

The Blazers reached the playoffs in all but one of Stotts’ nine years in Portland. The Indiana native finished with a 402-318 (.558) regular season record with the Blazers, but his team consistently struggled come playoff time.

Stotts won just 22 of 62 playoff games (.355) with Portland, who only made it past the first round three times during his tenure despite historic, MVP-caliber performances from Lillard. Their peak came in 2019 with a trip to the Western Conference finals, where they were swept by the Golden State Warriors.

Stotts has a career record of 517-486 (.515) in a cumulative 13 years as an NBA head coach. Prior to his time in Rip City, Stotts had previous experience as an assistant coach with Seattle, Milwaukee, Atlanta and Golden State, and Dallas, interspersed by two two-year stints as the head coach of the Hawks and Bucks.

Stotts’ departure answers one of many questions facing the Blazers this offseason. They have Lillard under contract until 2025, but rumors abound about whether he might try to force a trade. Additionally, Carmelo Anthony, Norman Powell, Enes Kanter and others could be free agents this summer.

With Stotts heading out of town, it’s back to the drawing board for the Portland Trail Blazers.