The Portland Trail Blazers aren’t having fun, to say the least.
On Sunday night it wasn’t a Bible being thumped but their team, as they lost by 45 points to the Ja Morant-less Memphis Grizzlies. Afterwards, Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups lit into his team, incensed by their lack of competitiveness. The only time Portland got fired up was when Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey blocked Dalano Banton’s shot at the end of the regulation.
Dalano Banton didn’t appreciate Zach Edey blocking him in the final second of the Blazers’ 45-point loss.pic.twitter.com/nCpM3ULxzN
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 11, 2024
The problem is that this isn’t even their worst loss under Billups. Just last season, they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder by 52 points in January. Then in March, the Miami Heat torched them for a 60-point (!!!) victory. They had four other losses with at least a 30-point margin in 2023-24.
All of which is to say that while Billups was right to flame the Blazers in his postgame confidence, his already hot seat should be getting warm enough for an ejection. If that’s the case, Portland will likely hire an interim coach from within as a stop-gap solution. However, there’s at least one coach available who’s not on their coaching staff who might be able to get their rebuild on track.
Will Weaver Is Blazers’ Best Head Coach Replacement For Chauncey Billups
Last season, Will Weaver was an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets, but he wasn’t retained by Jordi Fernandez when he took over as head coach this summer. Given Fernandez’s growing popularity, that might reflect poorly upon the Texas native. However, Weaver’s body of work makes it clear that he was simply a victim of a regime change.
Weaving His Way Through The Ranks
Born in 1984, Weaver has extensive experience for his age. He began his career in the college system, as a graduate assistant for the Texas Longhorns under four-time Big 12 Coach of the Year award winner Rick Barnes. In that time, he was able to work with 14-time All-Star Kevin Durant, then a freshman at Texas. After graduating, Weaver then took a coaching role at Sam Houston State. There, he caught the eye of former Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie.
In his stint with the Sixers, they began the rebuild known as “The Process.” Though they weren’t exactly successful in those years, the foundation for what Philadelphia eventually became was laid there. In fact, Weaver was hired as a special assistant by the Brooklyn Nets in 2016 because of his experience with developing teams.
After being hired, he reeled off a quote that spoke to his head coaching potential. Speaking of his role with the Nets, Weaver said he was “trying to connect all the different departments, work with the analytics team, work with the performance team, the scouts, trying to just collaborate… communicate better. And then also from a day-to-day standpoint… I try to help Kenny [Atkinson] make good decisions and help evaluate the way we go about managing in-game situations, which is a real passion of mine.”
A Pattern Of Success
Then came his breakthrough, as he was named the coach of the Nets’ G League affiliate in 2018. After leading the Long Island Nets to a franchise-record 34 wins and a G League Finals appearance in his first season, he was named the 2019 G League Coach of the Year. Notably, this is an award won by future NBA head coaches Quin Snyder, Nick Nurse, and Chris Finch.
He was so impressive that he was named as the head coach of the NBL’s Sydney Kings the next season. This wasn’t this first experience Down Under. He was on the Australian national team’s staff in the 2014 FIBA World Cup and 2016 Olympics. In his lone season with the Kings, they had the league’s best regular season record but lost to the Perth Wildcats in the NBL Finals.
When he came back stateside, he was interviewed for the Oklahoma City Thunder’s head coaching vacancy. However, the Thunder opted to hire Mark Daigneault, who eventually won NBA Coach of the Year. As a result, he landed on the coaching staff of the Houston Rockets, yet another rebuilding team. After two seasons, he went to France to coach Paris Basketball in their first season in LNB Pro A.
Since then, he’s reportedly drawn interest from the Milwaukee Bucks (2023), Toronto Raptors (2023), and Charlotte Hornets (2024) for their head coaching vacancies.
Why He Fits The Blazers
Looking at his history, here’s what sticks out about Weaver:
1. His experience developing players and the programs
2. His consistent and immediate success
3. His willingness to take non-traditional paths
For the Blazers, the first two points will matter the most. They’ll want to achieve rapid success but to do it organically. There’s always a chance that Portland could change course or accelerate their rebuild with a player transaction. However, they’ll be developing internally for the foreseeable future.
His proven track record in helping to develop young players also inspires confidence in his ability to do what Billups couldn’t. As a first-time head coach who had an outstanding NBA career, it was thought that he could thrive at that task. That being said, multiple players have improved under Billups. The problem is simply that there hasn’t been enough of it from their most important pieces.
Weaver might be the Master Roshi to Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe’s Goku and Krillin.
