The Portland Trail Blazers have signed coach Chauncey Billups to a multiyear contract extension, general manager Joe Cronin announced Sunday.
Trail Blazers officials negotiated a new deal with Billups' representation, Andy Miller of Klutch Sports, as the coach was finishing his fourth season and the final guaranteed year on his contract Sunday.
"I'm just so happy, with what we've done and where I think we can go," Billups said. "So much promise here. I'm pumped about it."
The Trail Blazers also reached a multiyear extension with Cronin on Monday to fortify their leadership structure. Cronin and Billups have spoken publicly about their friendship spanning decades, making for a cohesive GM-coach relationship.
Portland is 35-46 and out of playoff contention entering Sunday's regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Lakers. But Billups has led the Trail Blazers to a 22-18 record since Jan. 19, ranking in the top five in the NBA in defense and third in transition defense during that span, according to ESPN Research.
"The defensive improvement that we've seen, for us to be the third-best defense in the league in the second half of the season. That's meaningful and substantive," Cronin said. "And that's what we've been trying to build. And that's what we're going to point to moving forward, this is who we are."
In guiding the third-youngest roster this season by playing time, Billups led the development of several players, including Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe and Toumani Camara. The Trail Blazers have been building around a mix of veterans such as Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton and Avdija along with young talent in Sharpe, Camara, Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan.
Billups is 116-211 in his four seasons as Trail Blazers coach, his first head-coaching opportunity. Portland's 35 wins this season are its most since 2020-21, when it made its last playoff appearance.
"I just feel very good about where we're at, and now I understand how long it takes to build a culture. I feel like we've done that," Billups said. "I think the telltale of that, for any coaches, is if at some point when your team kind of takes on your personality and how you believe the game should be played, I think you've gotten there."
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame last year, Billups won an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004, when he was the Finals MVP, and was a five-time All-Star over a 17-year NBA career spent primarily with the Pistons and Denver Nuggets.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.