McMillan given deal by Blazers
PORTLAND – Nate McMillan is leaving the Seattle SuperSonics to coach the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Blazers late Wednesday night hired McMillan, who led the SuperSonics to the Northwest Division title this past season. He will be introduced today at a news conference, the Blazers said in a statement.
McMillan’s contract with the Sonics expired last Friday and the Blazers aggressively pursued him. The terms of his contract were not made public.
ESPN.com reported the length of the deal at five years. Over the weekend, the New York Times reported the Blazers were offering McMillan a contract worth $6 million per year. The Sonics reportedly had offered McMillan a four-year, $18 million deal.
“Our last compensation discussion detailed a proposal that on average would have made Nate one of the five highest-paid active NBA coaches,” Sonics president Wally Walker said in a statement. “While we made him a fair offer, we in no way begrudge Nate’s ability to earn more than we could offer.
“Our respect and affection for Nate will not waver, no matter how paradoxical that he is moving to our Northwest rival.”
McMillan replaces interim coach Kevin Pritchard, who took over for the fired Maurice Cheeks when the Blazers embarked on a youth movement in midseason. Cheeks was 162-139 in three-plus seasons with Portland.
McMillan had coached the Sonics since Nov. 27, 2000, and compiled a 212-183 record. He spent his entire 12-year playing career with the Sonics.
Not much was expected of the Sonics this season, but McMillan led them to 52 wins and they took the San Antonio Spurs to six games in the Western Conference semifinals.
“We are feeling a mixture of pride in his accomplishments as the head coach of the Sonics and sorrow that he will not be a part of our organization going forward,” Walker said.
“The pride stems from seeing his evolution in becoming a head coach less than five years ago to becoming a candidate for coach of the year this past year. He will be missed.”
McMillan comes to a team that has lost its way recently after being one of the NBA’s most consistent franchises. The Trail Blazers have missed the playoffs for two straight seasons, snapping a streak of 21 straight years reaching the postseason in 2004. The team finished last season with a 27-55 record, its worst mark in 31 years, saw its attendance decline, and faced off-court troubles.