NBA Rumors: The Portland Trail Blazers' impressive play during the second half of the season will make one offseason decision a lot simpler.
Over the past two months of the season, it appears as if the Portland Trail Blazers have begun to turn a corner when it comes to their development as a team. Since January 19, the Blazers are 17-11. Even though their turnaround is probably going to fall short of a postseason berth, there's reason to believe that they're heading in the right direction. Heading into the offseason, one of the bigger long-term questions for the Blazers revolves around head coach Chauncey Billups. In the final year of his contract, a decision on his future has to be decided one way or another.
According to Marc Stein, the speculation across the league is that with the Blazers' second-half surge, they're more likely to keep Billups as the team's head coach moving forward. As he is in the final year of his contract, that could prove to be easier said than done with many more moving parts than meet the eye. However, at least at this point, you have to assume that Billups is going to be re-signed to a new contract with the momentum the team has managed to build of late.
Have the Portland Trail Blazers turned the corner?
It's tough to say definitively if the Blazers have truly turned a corner as a team but there have certainly been some positive signs that point in that direction. As previously discussed, the Blazers have operated as a completely different team over the last couple of months of the season. Whether that will spark the team heading into the offseason and next year remains to be seen, but the fan base does have to be excited about the possibilities.
If the front office does believe in how the Blazers have operated over the last couple of months, you almost certainly have to bring back Billups as the team's coach. I think the most difficult part is figuring out what his new contract will end up looking like.
Would the Blazers want to give Billups another four-year deal? Would he be willing to accept a 2-3 year deal? It's certainly something to keep in mind as Portland explores what could lie ahead for the franchise. It's hard not to be impressed by what the team has managed to accomplish over the course of this season. What the next step will be for the front office is the big question as the offseason quickly approaches.