The Portland Trail Blazers’ coaching search has taken a new direction, with Boston Celtics assistant Tyler Lashbrook emerging as a potential favorite for the franchise’s next head coach.
According to Evan Sidery, Lashbrook is viewed as the leading candidate in Portland after rapidly rising through Boston’s coaching structure since joining the organization in 2023. If hired, Lashbrook would become the NBA’s youngest head coach at 34 years old.
The Trail Blazers’ search has unfolded during a complicated offseason. Interim coach Tiago Splitter is leaving Portland to become the next head coach of the Chicago Bulls, opening a vacancy the franchise has been working to fill.
However, Sidery reported that new Blazers owner Tom Dundon’s handling of Splitter’s situation — including contract negotiations and interviewing potential replacements during the playoffs — left a negative impression on many coaches around the league.
Portland’s desire to keep coaching costs low, combined with concerns around Dundon’s involvement, has reportedly made the position less attractive to some established candidates. That dynamic may have pushed the franchise toward younger options like Lashbrook, who fits a development-focused timeline.
The Trail Blazers finished the 2025-26 season at 42-40 and reached the playoffs via the Play-In Tournament before falling to the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the first round.
Their next coach will be tasked with continuing the development of a young core featuring Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan while improving a team that showed progress but remained outside the playoff field.
Lashbrook advanced in Portland’s search earlier this offseason, earning an in-person interview as the Blazers evaluated a broad group of candidates. The process included names with significant head coaching experience, including Los Angeles Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy, Golden State Warriors assistant Jerry Stackhouse, Splitter and Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori.
