The biggest news in basketball isn’t the NBA Finals — it’s the New York Knicks firing head coach Tom Thibodeau just three days after their elimination in six games to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The move stunned much of the basketball world. Thibodeau brought the Knicks to four playoff appearances in five seasons, including back-to-back 50-win campaigns and their deepest postseason run in 25 years. And yet, after years of questions around his heavy starter usage and lack of offensive creativity, New York felt it was time for a new voice. Now, Thibodeau enters a growing pool of respected coaches on the market — including Michael Malone, Taylor Jenkins, Mike Brown, and Mike Budenholzer.
But the biggest losers of this coaching carousel? Not the teams moving on from those names. It’s the ones choosing complacency over accountability.
The Trail Blazers puzzling commitment to Chauncey Billups
On April 13, 2025, the Portland Trail Blazers announced a multi-year contract extension with head coach Chauncey Billups, keeping him on the sidelines for at least three more seasons.
The reaction across the NBA was swift and confused. In four seasons under Billups, the Blazers have failed to make the playoffs, posting a 117-211 record (.357 win percentage). That’s not just underwhelming — it’s bottom-tier.
To be fair, Billups hasn’t had a stable roster or clear direction to work with. His debut season was marred by a heavily injured Damian Lillard, the departure of Josh Hart, and a rotating door of 27 players suiting up throughout the year. After finally trading Lillard and entering a rebuild, the team pivoted to building around Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant. The result? A 13th-place finish in the West and more confusion than clarity.
Then came the 2023-24 season, the closest the Blazers came to taking a step forward. They traded for Deandre Ayton, drafted Scoot Henderson, and added depth with Malcolm Brogdon. But once again, injuries and inconsistency led to a collapse — the Blazers finished with a Western Conference-worst 21-51 record.
A glimmer of hope, but is Billups the right voice?
Still, not all is bleak in Portland. Donovan Clingan showed real promise on the defensive end while adding polish to his offensive game. Deni Avdija took strides as a reliable starter. And Shaedon Sharpe continues to show star potential when healthy.
So yes, there’s talent. There’s a direction. But it’s fair to wonder whether extending a coach with zero playoff appearances was the right move, especially with championship-proven options like Thibodeau, Malone, and Budenholzer on the market.
Billups may deserve credit for player development and locker room stability. But if Portland wants to take the next step, they may have already missed their best chance to find a coach who’s been there before — and knows how to win.
While the Knicks’ move to part ways with a proven coach may have shocked fans, it showed a willingness to evolve and pursue greatness. The Blazers, meanwhile, chose stability over ambition. For Chauncey Billups, next season won’t just be about development — it will be about proving he can deliver results.
Because in today’s NBA, progress without winning isn’t progress at all.