The Portland Trail Blazers’ two most senior coaching additions have elicited polarizing opinions from fans. We’ve litigated Chauncey Billups’ inexperience and that 1997 incident, but what to make of Scott Brooks?
On paper, Brooks has every possible credential needed to be a lead assistant, as he was a head coach for 12 of the past 13 years, first with the Oklahoma City Thunder and then the Washington Wizards. Eight of those years featured playoff runs, including one Finals appearance, two Conference Finals berths, two Conference Semifinals and three first-round exits.
If we’re getting the red marker out, we can confidently tick a few categories: (1) managing MVP-level egos, (2) playoff success, and (3) more than a decade leading NBA teams.