Report: Portland Trail Blazers settle on Chauncey Billups as new coach

The Portland Trail Blazers have settled on Los Angeles Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups as their new coach but the deal has not been finalized, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Friday.

The Athletic reported that Billups had accepted the job but contract negotiations were ongoing.

Billups, the 2004 NBA Finals MVP and a five-time NBA All-Star in a 17-year playing career, has never been a head coach. The Blazers were also interested in Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni, as well as San Antonio Spurs assistant Becky Hammon.

Billups, 44, was hired as an assistant under Clippers coach Tyronn Lue last November.

The Blazers parted ways with Terry Stotts shortly after the team was eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the opening round of the playoffs. Stotts coached the Blazers for nine seasons, taking them to the playoffs in the last eight. But Portland failed to advance past the first round in four of the last five years.