Trail Blazers hire Micah Nori as franchise’s next head coach
By: Jared Cowley (KGW)
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers have found their next head coach.
The team announced Tuesday morning it has hired Minnesota Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori as the franchise's next head coach. Jason Quick of The Athletic was first to report the hire. According to Quick, Nori will sign a one-year deal with team options for each of the next two seasons. While exact financial terms of the deal have not been reported, Shams Charania of ESPN wrote that Nori's contract "features a sliding-scale salary based on incentives and team success."
Nori takes over a Trail Blazers team that went 42-40 last season, advanced through the play-in tournament as the Western Conference's No. 7 seed and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Barring any moves this offseason, the Blazers will return a core led by All-Star Deni Avdija and seven-time All-NBA guard Damian Lillard, who is expected to be back on the court next season after spending a year rehabbing a torn Achilles tendon. Veterans Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant also return alongside a young group that includes Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan, Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe.
Nori has long been considered one of the NBA's top head coaching candidates and has interviewed for several openings in recent years, including positions with the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks. He also was a finalist for the Dallas Mavericks' head coaching job this offseason that went to University of Michigan coach Dusty May.
He has spent nearly three decades in the NBA and has been an assistant coach since 2009. Before coming to Portland, he served as lead assistant to Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch, a position he held since 2021.
"After an extensive search process, it became clear that Micah embodies the qualities we are looking for in the leader of this franchise," Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin said in a statement. "He has been a key contributor to successful organizations and brings a wealth of expertise, a proven ability to develop players and an authenticity that aligns with the culture we are building."
Nori said he was drawn to the organization's vision and believes the Blazers have the talent to build a successful team.
"From my conversations with Tom (Dundon) and Joe (Cronin), it was evident that there is a strong commitment to building a culture that values accountability, development and team success," Nori said in a statement. "This is a team with tremendous talent, and I'm excited to begin working with our players and staff."
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden posted to social media welcoming Nori to Portland.
"Welcome to Rip City, Coach Nori. You're going to love it here. And I know Trail Blazers fans are going to love watching you lead Dame, Deni and our whole team to lots of wins on the road and especially at home in the Moda Center," Wyden wrote.
His path to coaching was unconventional. Nori played baseball at Indiana University and later worked as a graduate assistant with the baseball program at Miami University while earning his master's degree. He broke into the NBA in 1988 with the Toronto Raptors as a coach's assistant intern under Butch Carter, a family friend who helped introduce him to the profession and taught him how to study film.
Nori spent 10 years as an advance scout in Toronto before serving as the club's director of scouting and later an assistant coach. He went on to assistant coaching stops in Sacramento, Denver and Detroit before joining Finch's staff in Minnesota. Along the way, he worked under coaches including Carter, Jay Triano, Dwane Casey, Michael Malone and Finch. In Denver and Detroit, he also served as the team's offensive coordinator.
Nori earned praise from Finch for his tactical preparation and work in game management, including substitutions, end-of-quarter situations and late-game strategy.
"He's at a whole other level at being really, really good thinking through all the small pieces through the game; from subbing, end of quarters, maximizing defensive possessions at the end of the game, when to foul, when not to foul, all these things," Finch said in a 2022 article in the Minnesota Post.
Finch also pointed to Nori's ability to connect with players through a direct communication style and sense of humor.
"One of the best I've seen. He's funny, he's direct, he's disarming. He's been around a long time — he coached Charles Oakley so he's not going to be afraid of a third-year pro. His language and his humor get through a lot of the white noise players hear and begin to tune out," Finch said.
Nori gained broader visibility during Minnesota's run to the Western Conference finals in 2024. After Finch suffered a knee injury during the playoffs, Nori served as acting head coach for the remainder of the game and handled many of the team's on-court coaching duties for the rest of the postseason while Finch coached with limited mobility.
Outside coaching circles, Nori has become known for his colorful halftime television interviews during Timberwolves broadcasts. His creative analogies have drawn national attention, including comparisons to Ted Lasso, the fictional soccer coach on the Apple TV show.
