Tiago Splitter Faces Uncertain Future Under New Blazers Owner Tom Dundon

The Portland Trail Blazers are about to encounter a crossroads this offseason.

The team has to decide how to proceed with acting head coach Tiago Splitter, who has done well with the team after being thrust into leading the bench after the first game of the year, but could also be holding the squad back from its true potential.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Blazers’ coaching direction has not been decided.

"League sources say [Tom] Dundon has been actively exploring the coaching market to get a better sense of Portland's potential options at season's end," Stein wrote.

"Tiago Splitter entered Sunday's play with a record of 40-37 as Portland's interim coach after Chauncey Billups — following the Blazers' Opening Night loss to Minnesota — was placed on indefinite leave by the NBA with Billups under investigation as part of a federal gambling probe."

To Hire or Fire Tiago?

Portland Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter at press conference at the Intuit Dome. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Splitter was appointed as the interim head coach when Billups was arrested in October, which is an absolutely messy situation to walk into. However, Splitter has made the most of it.

The Blazers are enjoying their best season since the 2020-21 campaign, and they're on pace to have a winning season. They have already qualified for the Play-In Tournament and have hopes to do damage while they are there.

Blazers forward Deni Avdija has leaped into superstardom by becoming an All-Star caliber threat. The team’s defense has also taken a step in the right direction, ranking 13th in the league compared to 16th last year.

Splitter's international coaching style has implemented a high-pressure, quick-rotation system that the team has responded to well. If given another offseason to learn under Splitter, the Blazers could grow even more.

Tom Dundon Could Have Other Plans

Portland Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon is introduced during the first half. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Dundon wants to make a splash in his first major move as the team's governor. The Blazers are on the rise and getting the right coach could be the factor that takes them over the top.

Dundon has a successful tenure with the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, making the playoffs in every year since 2019, the first full season he took over. Dundon wants the same for the Blazers, which suggests that the team could go out and hire a coach that has more experience than Splitter.

Splitter Fighting For His Job

As Stein noted above, Dundon is "actively exploring the coaching market." While this coaching search includes Splitter, the new owner would have already committed to him if he was fully locked in. Maybe that would have been a mistake, but the Blazers should explore all their options given where they are in the standings.

The way the Blazers' season ends will likely determine if Splitter gets another shot to coach the team. It will be much easier to build an argument to stay if he can get the Blazers out of the Play-In Tournament, but if the team ends up in the lottery again, Dundon might look elsewhere for the team's next head coach.

The Blazers currently find themselves in ninth place in the Western Conference standings, sitting a half game behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the eighth seed with three games to go.

Luckily for the Blazers, they face off against the Clippers later this week in a game that could determine whether or not they will have a chance to host an elimination game during the Play-In tournament.

Splitter led the Blazers to victory last week against the Clippers, so that should give them confidence to go out and beat them once more to get one step closer to earning a playoff spot.