ChrisHaynes, CSNNW.com Trail Blazers Insider (@ChrisBHaynes)
Thedays of Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach, Buck Williams, in theRose City appears to be dwindling due to other priorities the team isworking on at the moment and he's concerned.
Assistantcoaches for the Trail Blazers are only granted one-year deals andWilliams has language in his contract that gives the team two weeksafter the season is completed to notify him if they're going toextend him another year or not.
Theend of that two week period is today and acting general manager ChadBuchanan says the team will not extend Williams' deal and will letthe next head coach bring in his own crew.
Ijust want to remain a Blazer somehow, Williams said. I spent alot of time in Portland and love it here. But, I understand a newcoach has the right to pick his own staff.
AlthoughWilliams and fellow assistant's Bernie Bickerstaff, Larry Greer, andBob Ociepka's contracts expire June 30, after Friday, Williams has itin his deal where he can have talks and pursue other opportunitieswith other teams before his deal is up with the Trail Blazers thissummer.
Eachassistant has their own unique clause imparted in their contract:Some have to be notified within five days from the end of the seasonon if they'll be brought back or not, some have 30 days, butWilliams' agreement is the only one of its kind.
TheTrail Blazers are in the process of conducting a thorough search fortheir new general manager and when that is taken care of, the nextstep would be finding a head coach and that's just not good timingfor Williams.
Wheneverthe new coach is hired, that individual could bring Williams and theother coaches back if he chooses to, but that is highly unlikely.Interim head coach Kaleb Canales is expected to remain on staff nomatter what, even though he has a team option for next year.
Duringhis playing days, Williams was known for his trademark goggles and asa coach, he has adopted the bow tie look that Trail Blazer radioanalyst Antonio Harvey has caught onto.
Williamsjust finished his second season as an assistant coach for the TrailBlazers and played seven out his 17 seasons in Portland and is theNew Jersey Nets'all-time leader in points (10,440), rebounds (7,576), rebounds pergame (11.9), and free throws made (2,476).
