Lowe: Portland May Be Looking at a Coaching Vacancy

ESPN's Zach Lowe penned a piece yesterday on the travails of Phoenix Suns Head Coach Jeff Hornacek. Lowe opines that the 2013 runner-up for Coach of the Year may be in trouble and looking for a new job next season.

This would be of mild interest to Portland Trail Blazers fans except for Lowe dropping the following paragraph:

Hornacek is a good coach. If the Suns fire him, he will draw interest in what figures to be a frothy head-coaching market this summer. Brooklyn, Sacramento, Washington, Phoenix, Memphis, Houston, Minnesota, Portland, and the Lakers all could have open jobs, and the pool of candidates will be loaded with big names: Jeff Van Gundy (quietly a candidate for the Washington job), Scott Brooks, Thibodeau, Monty Williams, and potentially Dave Joerger, Mike D'Antoni, Hornacek, Luke Walton, and others.

Portland is the 8th name tucked in that list, but it's still there. Odds are Lowe is looking at the Blazers' record and Coach Stotts' expiring contract, mashing the two into a general possibility that Portland's head seat might be open. But if Stotts' job is in jeopardy, how would you feel about that?

I've made my thoughts quite clear about this over the years. Coach Stotts has done a fantastic job and continues to do so. If insurmountable holes pocket this season's roster, coaching-based duct tape can't patch all of them. But even at an early, inexperienced stage the Trail Blazers are playing with cohesiveness and drive. I can't imagine squeezing better results out of their rotation.

Jason Quick wrote an article on this subject back in October claiming that Stotts had the full support of his players. Then again, players don't make these decisions, nor are they made during pre-season.

What say you? Should Stotts' job be available, even in a general sense? Do any of the names Lowe mentions excite you? Weigh in below.

March 28th is Blazer's Edge Night. We're planning on sending 2000 underprivileged kids to see the Blazers play against the Sacramento Kings that evening and we need your help. You can donate tickets to the cause through this link:

http://www.rosequarter.com/blazersedge

Promo Code: BLAZERSEDGE

Ticket Costs range from $7-13 (There is a $5 processing fee per order.)

You can also call our ticket rep, Lisa Swan, directly at 503-963-3966. You will need to indicate to her that you are donating the tickets you order to Blazer's Edge Night.

PLEASE consider sending a child or two! Donations have been strong but we've had a LOT of requests and we're not to 2000 yet. Help if you can.

--Dave blazersub@gmail.com / @DaveDeckard / @Blazersedge