According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Ben Sullivan is among those to interview for the Portland Trail Blazers' head-coach opening. Ime Udoka brought him to Boston when he became the Celtics' head coach ahead of the 2021-22 campaign. It was a season that produced a run to the NBA Finals. Sullivan then stayed on board as a part of Joe Mazzulla's staff the following year. When the Houston Rockets named Udoka as their new bench boss in 2023, Sullivan relocated to reunite with him.
Now, the long-time assistant coach, whose previous stops included tenures with the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks on Mike Budenholzer's staff, before joining the Celtics, could finally get his chance to move up to the one chair.
Surely, Sullivan would be grateful to get this opportunity wherever it presented itself. However, if it happens in Portland, that would make it that much sweeter. He played collegiately at the University of Portland. From there, he went on to play professionally in Germany.
The Trail Blazers' head-coaching job shouldn't change hands
Like Mazzulla, Tiago Splitter got thrown into the fire. His opportunity to become an NBA head coach was the result of Chauncey Billups getting arrested for his role in an illegal gambling scheme. Portland could have gone into a tailspin. The organization might not have minded.
This year, the league reached its boiling point with teams tanking. Now, after so many teams shamelessly took a nose-dive in hopes of landing a top-four pick and a potential star prospect, sweeping changes to the draft are on their way.
However, Splitter guided the Trail Blazers to the Western Conference play-in tournament. From there, they secured the seventh seed and a playoff appearance. He deserves to remain in his post.
If he doesn't, it seems it may have more to do with new owner Tom Dundon than with Splitter's performance in his first season at the helm. If Portland goes in a different direction, he figures to be a hot commodity among the other NBA franchises searching for a new head coach.
According to veteran NBA insider Marc Stein, via his Substack, The Stein Line, former Trail Blazers' head coach Terry Stotts is interested in his old job if it becomes available. Earlier this week, Stotts opted to depart from his role as an assistant on Steve Kerr's staff with the Golden State Warriors.
Facing competition that includes a candidate with head-coaching experience and an incumbent who impressed in his opportunity as an organizational leader during a trying time for the franchise will make it challenging for Sullivan to get his first head-coaching job in Portland.
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