Most Minnesota Timberwolves fans were happy when they heard the news on Tuesday that longtime assistant coach Micah Nori finally received his first head coaching job with the Portland Trail Blazers. Yes, they know how integral a role he played with the Wolves in preparing them for each game night, but it was a well-deserved job promotion after the 52-year-old had grinded in the league as an assistant since 2009.
Then, the contract details came out. Yes, Nori was given a three-year deal. Nothing strange about that. The oddity is that the last two years are team options, meaning that only next season is guaranteed. It’s a strange deal for Nori to accept, but when you’ve been at it for a decade and a half, it’s understandable why he would jump at the opportunity to become a head coach for the first time.
Still, instead of him being celebrated, most are instead talking about the terms of the contract. That includes J.B. Bickerstaff, current head coach of the Detroit Pistons and president of the National Basketball Coaches Association.
"It changes the math on where a coach stands, and it creates an environment where how do you hold players accountable when it looks like you are easily replaced and removed if things don't go the way that players may see it going," Bickerstaff said. "It's almost, which is disappointing, a mindset of the substitute teacher being there with no guarantee or support what it looks like long-term or in the future.”
Unfortunately, I think Bickerstaff’s comments put even more spotlight on Nori, and not in a way that he would want.
Bickerstaff’s comments were unnecessary
With all the recent reports of how Tom Dundon and Trail Blazers ownership have utilized cost-cutting measures throughout the organization, it’s not surprising to me that they would be the team to utilize this type of contract for a head coach.
While the financials have not yet been announced, I would fully expect Nori to be amongst the least-paid head coaches for next season.
Bickerstaff went to bat for Nori and the rest of the head coaches around the league, but I’m not completely sure if his comments are fully accurate. Many times, if a head coach is fired during the season, whoever takes over for them does so with an interim tag attached to them. They are essentially coaching the rest of the year, auditionng to become the full-time head coach.
Regardless of how long a head coach is signed for, there’s no certainty they will be there for the entirety of the contract. Bickerstaff can look at the previous head coach of the Pistons, Monty Williams, who was fired after just one season, and he signed for six years.
It’s also true, though, that head coaches are very rarely put in the situation of being in that role with just one year remaining on their contract. The team will usually either give them an extension or decide to move on.
It was a large news story in the MLB when the Los Angeles Angels hired Kurt Suzuki as their new manager last October. They gave him a flat one-year deal with no options after. Unsurprisingly, the Angels are currently last in the AL West with a 34-48 record (not unsurprising because of Suzuki, unsurprising because it’s the Angels).
So it’s not a totally unprecedented contract handed out to a head coach in professional sports. Nori spent the last 17 years as an assistant with five different clubs and has been with the Timberwolves for the past five seasons.
After Nori received previous interviews for head coaching jobs, jobs he didn’t get, passing down the chance to join Portland because of how the contract is set up wasn’t going to be the obstacle for Nori that it might be for someone who has previously been a head coach numerous times.
In the end, it was Nori’s decision to accept the terms as presented. He may see it as a bet on himself that he will do a good enough job, and he will be back on Portland’s bench in 2027-28.
I know Bickerstaff has a job to do as president of the coaches association, but maybe he should have followed Chris Finch’s lead and realized that this was a personal decision for Nori.
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