PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) 鈥� Coach Chauncey Billups has signed a multi-year contract extension with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Blazers did not release terms of the deal, announced before the regular-season finale against the Lakers on Sunday.
In his fourth year with the Blazers, Billups has guided the team to a 35-46 record this season. While Portland missed out on the postseason for the fourth straight year, the team performed better than expected with young stars like Scott Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija.
鈥淚鈥檓 just so happy, with what we鈥檝e done and where I think we can go," Billups said. 鈥淪o much promise here. I鈥檓 pumped about it."
Billups has helped the Blazers forge an identity, especially over the last 40 games when Portland had the league鈥檚 third-best defensive rating. The second youngest team in the league went on a run in late January-early February when they won 10 of 11 games.
鈥淭he defensive improvement that we鈥檝e seen, for us to be the third-best defense in the league in the second half of the season. That鈥檚 meaningful and substantive," said general manager Joe Cronin, who signed his own extension earlier this week. "And that鈥檚 what we鈥檝e been trying to build. And that鈥檚 a what we鈥檙e going to point to moving forward, this is who we are.鈥�
There were other teams reported to be interested in Billups, including the Phoenix Suns.
鈥淭he core of Chauncey鈥檚 leadership is his ability to build a collaborative culture and growth mindset for our young team,鈥� Blazers chair Jody Allen said in a statement. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very happy to extend his contract as head coach, and excited to see his continued work developing our players and transforming this team into one capable of long-term success.鈥�
Billups, 48, who had an NBA playing career that spanned 17 seasons, won a championship with Detroit in 2004 and was named the finals MVP. A five-time All-Star, he was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in October.
鈥淚 just feel very good about where we鈥檙e at, and now I understand how long it takes to build a culture. I feel like we鈥檝e done that,鈥� Billups said. 鈥淚 think the tell tale of that, for any coaches, is if at some point when your team kind of takes on your personality and how you believe the game should be played, I think you鈥檝e gotten there.鈥�
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AP NBA:
Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press
