The Portland Trail Blazers are expected to hire longtime NBA coach Jay Triano as an assistant on new head coach Micah Nori’s staff, according to NBA reporter Chris Haynes.
Triano, 67, will be returning to Portland for a second stint after previously serving as a Blazers assistant from 2012 to 2016. He spent last season on the Dallas Mavericks’ bench and has also held assistant positions with Sacramento, Charlotte, Phoenix, and Toronto.
During the 2008-09 season, Triano became the first Canadian-born head coach in league history when he took over the Toronto Raptors on an interim basis. He was promoted the following summer and remained Toronto’s head coach for two additional seasons. Triano later spent one year as head coach of the Phoenix Suns, compiling a career record of 108–200 over 308 games.
Triano’s connection to Nori goes back nearly two decades; he elevated Nori to an assistant role in Toronto early in their careers. His Portland return also reunites him with franchise cornerstone Damian Lillard.
Former Utah Jazz assistant Mike Williams is also expected to join Nori’s coaching staff after interviewing for Portland’s head-coaching vacancy.
Source: Hoops Rumors
