{"id":194582,"date":"2026-05-09T06:30:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T10:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=194582"},"modified":"2026-05-09T22:29:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T02:29:57","slug":"trail-blazers-ben-sullivan-links-nba-champion-suddenly-emerges-as-perfect-fit-for-tom-dundons-vision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/05\/09\/trail-blazers-ben-sullivan-links-nba-champion-suddenly-emerges-as-perfect-fit-for-tom-dundons-vision\/","title":{"rendered":"Trail Blazers Ben Sullivan Links? NBA Champion Suddenly Emerges As Perfect Fit For Tom Dundon\u2019s Vision"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>PORTLAND \u2014 The <strong>Portland Trail Blazers<\/strong>&#8216; links to <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/rockets\/\" target=\"_self\">Houston Rockets<\/a> assistant Ben Sullivan have quickly gone from background noise to something that feels genuinely believable. In a coaching market where Portland appears to be balancing ambition with a calculator permanently open on the desktop, Sullivan checks a lot of boxes. He\u2019s respected around the league, comes from multiple winning environments and, perhaps most importantly for a franchise trying to maximize every dollar under Blazers owner Tom Dundon, he would likely come far cheaper than an established veteran coach. That part hasn\u2019t exactly been subtle lately.<\/p>\n<h2>NBA Champion Ben Sullivan Emerges As Perfect Fit For Blazers Owner Tom Dundon\u2019s Vision<\/h2>\n<p>Michael Scotto of Hoopshype wrote on X: \u201cThe Blazers interviewed Rockets assistant Ben Sullivan for their head coaching job. He interviewed for the Suns last summer. He\u2019s been an assistant for Ime Udoka (Rockets\/Celtics), Joe Mazzulla and Mike Budenholzer (Bucks\/Hawks). He played for the University of Portland.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Sources: The Blazers interviewed Rockets assistant Ben Sullivan for their head coaching job. He interviewed for the Suns last summer. He\u2019s been an assistant for Ime Udoka (Rockets\/Celtics), Joe Mazzulla and Mike Budenholzer (Bucks\/Hawks). He played for the University of Portland. <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ouNkV0yrf5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/ouNkV0yrf5<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MikeAScotto\/status\/2052819779891716505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">May 8, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The Trail Blazers Ben Sullivan links have quickly gone from background noise to something that feels genuinely believable. In a coaching market where Portland appears to be balancing ambition with a calculator permanently open on the desktop, Sullivan checks a lot of boxes. He\u2019s respected around the league, comes from multiple winning environments and, perhaps most importantly for a franchise trying to maximize every dollar under Tom Dundon, he would likely come far cheaper than an established veteran coach. That part hasn\u2019t exactly been subtle lately.<\/p>\n<p>The Trail Blazers made the playoffs <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/04\/15\/the-blazers-postseason-return-ending-the-five-year-drought\/\" target=\"_self\">for the first time in five years<\/a> after finishing 42-40 under interim head coach Tiago Splitter. But making the playoffs and becoming a serious Western Conference threat are two very different things. Portland fans know this already. They\u2019ve spent the better part of the last decade living somewhere between \u201cfun League Pass team\u201d and \u201cone injury away from existential dread.\u201d With <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/l\/lillada01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Damian Lillard <\/a>expected to <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/05\/08\/damian-lillards-return\/\" target=\"_self\">return from his Achilles injury next season<\/a>, the next Trail Blazers coach will immediately inherit pressure to build something sustainable around a roster that finally looks competitive again.<\/p>\n<h3>Ben Sullivan\u2019s Reputation Has Quietly Become Elite Around The League<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_194587\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-194587\" style=\"width: 4128px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/05\/USATSI_28647293_168415934_lowres.webp\" alt=\"Trail Blazers Ben Sullivan links may seem out of left field but he fits the Blazers coach vacancy more than people think\" width=\"4128\" height=\"2752\" class=\"size-full wp-image-194587\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/05\/USATSI_28647293_168415934_lowres.webp 4128w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/05\/USATSI_28647293_168415934_lowres-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/05\/USATSI_28647293_168415934_lowres-600x400.webp 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/05\/USATSI_28647293_168415934_lowres-1200x800.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 4128px) 100vw, 4128px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-194587\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Apr 2, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Tom Dundon, the new owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, before a game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the New Orleans Pelicans at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Sullivan\u2019s coaching r\u00e9sum\u00e9 is deeper than many realize. Before becoming one of the more respected assistant coaches in basketball, he started as a video coordinator with the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/spurs\/\" target=\"_self\">San Antonio Spurs<\/a> in 2012 under Gregg Popovich. That alone is basically basketball graduate school. From there, Sullivan joined Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta, working with the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/hawks\/\" target=\"_self\">Atlanta Hawks<\/a> from 2014 through 2018 before following Budenholzer again to Milwaukee.<\/p>\n<p>He was part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/bucks\/\" target=\"_self\">Milwaukee Bucks<\/a> coaching staff that won the 2021 NBA championship, earning a reputation as one of the league\u2019s best developmental assistants. Around the NBA, Sullivan has become particularly known for helping players improve their shooting mechanics and offensive efficiency. Multiple players across different organizations have credited him for rebuilding their jumper from the ground up. In today\u2019s NBA, that skill almost feels like having a mechanic who can fix Formula One cars with duct tape and a flashlight. Everybody wants one.<\/p>\n<p>After Milwaukee, Sullivan joined Ime Udoka in Boston for the 2021-22 season, helping the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/category\/celtics\/\" target=\"_self\">Boston Celtics<\/a> reach the NBA Finals. He then remained on staff under Joe Mazzulla before eventually joining Udoka again in Houston with the Rockets. Everywhere Sullivan has gone, two things have usually followed: defensive structure and noticeable player development. That\u2019s not accidental anymore. That\u2019s a pattern.<\/p>\n<p>For Portland, this is where the fit starts becoming obvious. <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hendesc01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Scoot Henderson<\/a> still needs refinement as a scorer. <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/s\/sharpsh01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shaedon Sharpe<\/a>\u2019s offensive ceiling remains ridiculously high. <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/clingdo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Donovan Clingan<\/a>\u2019s development could define <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/05\/02\/blazers-young-core-talks-growth-after-early-exit\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">the next era<\/a> of Blazers basketball. A developmental coach with championship experience suddenly becomes a very attractive option. The Trail Blazers Coach search may not have a glamorous frontrunner, but Sullivan feels increasingly aligned with what this organization is trying to become.<\/p>\n<h3>Tom Dundon\u2019s Financial Strategy Could Push Portland Toward Sullivan<\/h3>\n<p>The elephant in the room here is Dundon. Or perhaps the accountant in the room. Depends how charitable you\u2019re feeling.<\/p>\n<p>Reports around the league have consistently suggested Dundon wants Portland\u2019s next head coach to come at a reduced price compared to standard NBA coaching salaries. Multiple reports have linked the franchise to a figure around $1 million to $1.5 million annually, well below the average NBA head coach salary, which usually sits closer to $4 million.<\/p>\n<p>That financial reality has shaped Portland\u2019s search. Established names such as Tom Thibodeau and Michael Malone, the latter now the head coach of the NCAA&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/04\/06\/unc-loses-3-players-to-transfer-portal-with-2-vacating-after-reports-of-michael-malone-hire-and-what-it-means\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">North Carolina Tar Heels<\/a>, reportedly showed little interest in the opening. Meanwhile, Portland has cast an unusually wide net that includes assistants, former players and developmental coaches. Other reported candidates include the incumbent Splitter, Denver Nuggets assistant coach Jared Dudley, and Brooklyn Nets assistant coach Steve Hetzel.<\/p>\n<p>This is where Sullivan makes sense again. He\u2019s highly respected but still looking for his first head coaching opportunity. Portland can sell him on roster upside, Lillard\u2019s return, a playoff-caliber team and long-term security without necessarily breaking the bank. That combination may genuinely matter more than people think.<\/p>\n<p>And honestly, there\u2019s logic to Portland targeting assistants from winning organizations instead of chasing the biggest available name. The Celtics, Bucks, Spurs and Rockets all speak highly of Sullivan\u2019s basketball mind. Coaches with that background tend to enter jobs with fully formed systems rather than spending two years figuring things out publicly while fans age in dog years watching defensive rotations collapse.<\/p>\n<h3>Championship Experience Could Be Exactly What Portland Needs<\/h3>\n<p>One thing Portland noticeably lacked during parts of this season was postseason composure. The talent was there. The athleticism was there. The consistency absolutely was not. There were stretches where the Blazers defended like a playoff team followed immediately by possessions where everyone appeared to be reacting to a different basketball game entirely.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why Sullivan\u2019s championship pedigree matters. He has worked under Budenholzer, Udoka, Mazzulla and Popovich. Few assistant coaches can claim experience under that many successful systems. Even fewer have built a reputation as both a tactician and player-development specialist.<\/p>\n<p>The Trail Blazers-Ben Sullivan links also feel different because this doesn\u2019t come across as a desperation swing. It feels targeted. Portland clearly wants a younger coach who can grow with the roster while implementing structure immediately. Sullivan fits that timeline almost perfectly.<\/p>\n<p>When Lillard returns healthy and Portland\u2019s young core <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/04\/22\/scoot-henderson-finally-breaks-out-as-trail-blazers-star\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">takes another leap<\/a>, this suddenly becomes one of the more interesting teams in the Western Conference. Sullivan would still face enormous pressure as a first-year head coach, especially following a 42-win season, but the infrastructure around him would be far healthier than most rookie coaches inherit.<\/p>\n<p>As for Dundon, hiring Sullivan may represent the sweet spot between affordability and upside. In this market, that appears to matter just as much as r\u00e9sum\u00e9 size. The Trail Blazers coaching search continues, but Portland may already be circling the candidate who makes the most sense.<\/p>\n<p>Credit:\u00a9 Troy Taormina-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>PORTLAND \u2014 The Portland Trail Blazers&#8216; links to Houston Rockets assistant Ben Sullivan have quickly gone from background noise to something that feels genuinely believable. In a coaching market where Portland appears to be balancing ambition with a calculator permanently open on the desktop, Sullivan checks a lot of boxes. He\u2019s respected around the league, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":194588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,62,3,23],"tags":[50456,187,50457],"class_list":["post-194582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-nba","category-news","category-trailblazers","tag-ben-sullivan","tag-damian-lillard","tag-tom-dundon"],"modified_by":"Quenton S Albertie","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194582","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=194582"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194582\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":194712,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194582\/revisions\/194712"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/194588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=194582"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=194582"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=194582"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}