Blazers HC Micah Nori Adds Jay Triano to Portland Coaching Staff
· Yahoo Sports
Once he's back to full health, Damian Lillard won't be the only member of Portland's past to help guide the Trail Blazers back to the postseason in 2026.
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On Monday, NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that long-time assistant Jay Triano will join first-year head coach Micah Nori's staff in Rip City.
Longtime NBA offensive guru Jay Triano has agreed to join the coaching staff of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori and reunite with franchise star Damian Lillard, league sources say. pic.twitter.com/eStpTdPHs0
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 6, 2026
The move reunites Triano with Lillard, with whom he worked on the Blazers' staff from 2012-16 under head coach Terry Stotts.
Triano has been featured on NBA sidelines since 2002, when he operated as an assistant for the Toronto Raptors until 2008. He later served as Toronto's lead man from 2009-11.
The 67-year-old's time in Toronto ironically overlapped with Nori, where the new Blazers head coach served as an intern before becoming an advanced scout.
Nori later served as an assistant on Triano's staff beginning in 2009 and remained with the franchise for two years under Dwayne Casey following Triano's transition to being the vice-president of pro scouting.
Upon his return to the United States, Triano joined Stotts' sideline for his first season in Rip City. Portland went 33-49 and missed the playoffs in Lillard's inaugural professional campaign — but set the groundwork for a breakthrough the following year.
Triano's second season with the Blazers culminated in a moment Portland's fanbase won't ever forget. The team went 54-28 and dispatched the Houston Rockets in six games behind Lillard's iconic game-winner.
After departing from the Blazers in 2016, Triano joined the Suns as an assistant before being promoted to Phoenix's head coach for one season.
He'd continue to have stops with the Charlotte Hornets, Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks from 2018 onward.
Triano arrives in Portland with more than two decades of NBA coaching experience and a reputation as one of the league's most respected veteran assistants.
He's coached rebuilding teams, playoff contenders and future Hall of Famers, giving Nori another experienced voice as he navigates his first season leading an NBA bench.
The hire also continues a clear trend for Portland this offseason.
Rather than surrounding himself with first-time assistants, Nori has prioritized experience. Triano joins a staff tasked with accelerating the development of a young core featuring Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, while helping to integrate Lillard back into the fold.
If the Blazers are going to build on last season's success under an entirely new staff, they'll need more than just roster continuity.
Portland will need steady leadership ... and Triano has spent much of the last 24 years providing exactly that.