Lawrence: Are Blazers Coaches In Trouble After Recent Slide?

Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News reports that members of the Portland Trail Blazers' coaching staff could be feeling the heat after the team's recent up-and-down play.

The West is tough enough without coaches also having to look over their shoulders and worry if they're on the way out. But that's the situation out in Portland, where Terry Stotts is on the last year of his contract, and management hasn't said whether he'll be back for his third season on the Blazers' bench.

But let's just say that Stotts' staff is not feeling very good about its chances of returning after sliding down to fifth place in the West and in danger of finishing even lower.

...

The Blazers need to turn it around in the final weeks, or else this could be a short playoff run, with a coaching change at season's end.

Lawrence's full notes column is right here.

It's possibly worth noting that Lawrence refers to the injury absence of "LeMarcus Aldridge" in the post.

Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com reported this recently on Stotts' future...

General Manager Neil Olshey has a stern policy that he has adopted dating back to his Clipper days that goes for both players and coaches: He will not engage in contractual dialogue until after the season is completed.

This means decisions on options and extensions will be made in the offseason, allowing the necessary cooling off period from a vigorous 82-game season to fully evaluate the all-inclusive body of work.

Haynes' full piece is right here.

Dave and Sam Tongue addressed Stotts' performance in this week's Videocast.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gamil.com | Twitter