New Portland Trail Blazers HC Micah Nori Talks One-Year Contract, Return to the Playoffs
· Yahoo Sports
After a slight lull period in the Portland Trail Blazers' head coaching search — one that witnessed the team's interim, Tiago Splitter, land with the Chicago Bulls — the franchise finally found their guy: Minnesota Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori.
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But Nori was pried away from Chris Finch and the Timberwolves in quite an unorthodox manner. Portland's brass inked Nori to just a one-year deal, but it includes team options for the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons.
Due to the non-traditional terms of the contract, many, including Detroit Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff, voiced their concern — but the public's perception isn't bothering Nori.
“The one thing you’re going to find out about me very quickly is that I would say I’m very humble and I really don’t care. This is honestly not about me in all sincerity, so I really don’t care about the outside noise,” Nori said via Aimee Plante of Koin 6 News. “As far as the discourse goes, it doesn’t bother me whatsoever because I know who I am as a coach, I know who I have sitting next to me and supporting me and sitting right in front of me here — these players, these coaches — and I have the tools for success. I have been given that, and that’s all I care about.”
Nori enters a unique situation in Portland where he'll be tasked with replicating Splitter's success from this past season, which saw the Blazers charge to the postseason for the first time in five years.
Finding a way to recapture the magic of Splitter's 2025-26 Portland squad won't be easy, but it's a challenge Nori is more than willing to take on.
“As a first-time head coach, you very rarely get an opportunity to coach a roster that has already been in the playoffs,” Nori said. “Usually you’re taking over bad situations or tough situations where you’re going to have some bumps and bruises, but I’m very, very fortunate to have the roster that we have moving forward."
Equipped with a core of Deni Avdija, Damian Lillard, Donovan Clingan, Toumani Camara and more, Nori will bring elite relationship-building traits, infectious optimism and entertaining sideline interviews to Rip City.
And while some may be scoffing at the decision not to guarantee Nori's contract (rightfully so) for the full three years, his time in Minnesota with Finch alludes to the great potential the 52-year-old possesses.