Portland’s New Coach Mica Nori Says Winning Will Solve Contract Questions

Mica Nori, the new head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, spoke to reporters for the first time on Thursday night alongside team president of basketball operations Joe Cronin. He said first-time head coaches rarely inherit a playoff team, noting that Portland is a different situation because it is coming off a winning season.

Nori said the previous staff did an excellent job getting the team into the postseason and that the challenge now is to move it forward. “We are bringing Dame Lillard back into the picture,” he said, referring to the next step for the franchise after last season’s success.

He outlined a team identity built on physical play, defense and pace. “The great thing about this roster is that we have defenders all over the floor,” he said, adding that the Blazers should be able to force turnovers and play at a high tempo.

Asked why he accepted the job and how he thinks about the contract, Nori said he sees it as an opportunity, not a negotiation over length or money. “For 28 years, and in the first 25, I never had an agent,” he said. “I never look at money or years. I know that if I succeed, the rest will take care of itself.”

He also cited owner Tom Dundon, saying he was relying on Dundon’s word and that the owner had lifted a trophy only seven days earlier with the only coach he has ever had. On the roster, Nori highlighted defensive versatility, center Donovan Clingan’s rim protection, and Camara, whom he compared to Jaden McDaniels, saying Camara drew the toughest matchups in the league last season. “These guys are learning how to win, and they learned how to win last year,” he said.