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When the Portland Trail Blazers hired Micah Nori to be their next head coach, a lot of the decision stemmed from his short-term contract and the ramifications of what that deal may look like.
However, the hire itself was definitely overlooked. The hiring of Nori deserved far more praise than what was given and the Blazers deserve credit for bringing in one of the best assistants in the league.
Micah Nori Hire is Underrated
The Blazers have a tough task on their hands this season as they try to integrate Damian Lillard and Ja Morant into the lineup. They have brought in a coach who has been making a living out of building and optimizing offenses. The combination of Nori, Lillard, Morant, All-Star forward Deni Avdija and the rest of the roster could form one of the best offenses in the league next season.
Nori is in a rare position taking over for a playoff team as a first-year head coach, but he has a ton of experience in the postseason over the past five years. As the lead assistant for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Nori coached in 54 playoff games from 2022-26. That should come in handy for the Blazers, who don't have as much playoff experience apart from Lillard and Robert Williams III.
The interview process was arduous for the Blazers, but it resulted in them getting the right man for the job. Due to new owner Tom Dundon's philosophy on how much money a head coach should make, the Blazers were linked to several first-time coaches looking for a gig they probably wouldn't have gotten with another team. Nori was the only exception from the group of candidates.
If the Blazers want to keep up with the rest of the Western Conference and be competitive for years to come, they need a coach that will steer them in the right direction. While Nori's contract only guarantees him money for his first year of work, he knows that if he is successful, he will be sticking around.
It's a very team-friendly deal the Blazers made, which only adds to why this was such a win for Portland. Getting a top-tier available coach like Nori allows the Blazers to improve their offense and build a winning culture, much like what was curated with the Wolves for the past several years. There's no guarantee it will translate in Portland, but the vision is there for the Blazers to move forward.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/trailblazers/onsi as The Most Underrated Move the Blazers Made This Summer.
