After one of the most improbable seasons in franchise history, coach Terry Stotts reached agreement on a three-year contract extension with the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night, league sources told The Vertical.
Stotts is guaranteed just under $5 million a year over the next three years, with a team option for the 2019-20 season, league sources said.
The Blazers exercised the team option on the final year of Stotts' original contract for the 2016-17 season, with the three-year extension starting in 2017, sources said.
Owner Paul Allen and general manager Neil Olshey had been waiting to present Stotts with an extension offer once the season ended, and talks moved quickly into an agreement.
Stotts finished second in the voting to Golden State's Steve Kerr for NBA Coach of the Year. Olshey finished No. 2 behind San Antonio's R.C. Buford for NBA Executive of the Year.
Stotts led the Blazers to a 44-38 regular season, a fifth seed in the Western Conference and a first-round playoff series victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Blazers lost 4-1 in a best-of-seven West semifinal to the defending champion Golden State Warriors, but played well in several close losses.
This was the second time in Stotts’ four years with the Blazers that he led them to the Western Conference semifinals. Portland beat Houston in the 2014 playoffs.
Stotts has developed into a popular figure in Portland with players and fans, and built a reputation for player development in Portland. After winning 33 games in his first year, the drafting of Damian Lillard to partner with LaMarcus Aldridge helped improve the Blazers to 54 and 51 victories in the next two seasons.
This is Stotts' third job as an NBA head coach, with previous stints in Atlanta and Milwaukee.
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