With all but four NBA teams in the early stages of their offseasons, four teams are in search of a new head coach. 

One of those teams looking for a new coach is the Portland Trail Blazers. NBA insider Marc Stein reports that top Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori is one of the finalists for Portland's head coaching position. 

Nori, 52, has been a part of the Timberwolves staff since 2021. He also has coaching experience in the NBA dating back to 2009, as he's been a part of the Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets, and Detroit Pistons staff. 

The Portland Trail Blazers have been without a head coach since October 23rd after former head coach Chauncey Billups was arrested for federal gambling and an illegal poker scheme. 

Assistant coach Tiago Splitter assumed the role of interim head coach for Portland and managed to lead the team to a playoff appearance before losing in the first round to the San Antonio Spurs 4-1. 

Nori has been a part of the Timberwolves staff that has seen multiple winning seasons. Minnesota has made the playoffs every season in which he has been on the staff, so he has a lot of playoff experience and knows what it takes to have winning seasons year in and year out. 

The Portland Trail Blazers are not amongst the youngest teams in the NBA, but they have young pieces that are important to the franchise and lack playoff experience. 

If the Timberwolves were to lose Micah Nori, they could also lose other pieces of the coaching staff. Pablo Prigioni, Elston Turner, and Corliss Williamson are all names to watch on this Minnesota staff, as Nori could offer them jobs in Portland if he gets hired. 

The Timberwolves already have questions concerning their roster on the court, and having to fill out part of their coaching staff heading into next season would not be easy. 

It's also being reported by Marc Stein that interim coach Tiago Splitter and the LA Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy are the two other finalists for their head coach position. 

Splitter is the safer option here in terms of continuity. Players on the roster already recognize his style of coaching and were able to make a postseason run despite the cards that were dealt to them in the regular season. 

Van Gundy is a coach who is very defensive-minded. He's been around the NBA since 1989 and was the head coach of the New York Knicks from 1996 to 2001, including an NBA Finals appearance in 1999. 

Portland has three finalists with distinct backgrounds, and each of them has something different to offer.