The Portland Trail Blazers named the Chancey Billups as the franchise's next coach late Sunday.
Sources told ESPN that the team reached a five-year deal with the former LA Clippers assistant, which includes a team substitute last season.
Sources said the 44-year-old Billups will be presented at a news conference in Portland on Tuesday.
Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olsche and the Billups' agent, Clutch Sports' Andy Miller, finalized the terms of the contract on Sunday, sources said. The Blazers offered the Billups the job on Friday night, and the side were moving on to a deal to replace former coach Terry Stotts over the weekend.
The Blazers' landing of the Billups set the direction of the franchise in an attempt to maximize the prime years of All-NBA guard Damien Lillard's career, leading the team into a deep run in the Western Conference playoffs. Portland reached two conference semifinals and one conference final in the Lillard–Olsche–Stotts era.
Sources said after Blazers president Jody Allen and Olsche met Billup in Seattle on Wednesday, they were convinced he was the right candidate.
The Blazers continued to investigate the 1997 rape allegation against the Billups, sources said, before making a formal offer on Friday night. No criminal charges were brought, but the billups settled a civil suit filed by the woman.
Although the Billups were scrutinized several times for high-level jobs in the NBA leadership, including an offer to become president of basketball operations for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017 and in his current role with the Clippers, the Blazers looked again. More use of the search process. Allegations of the Billups' rookie season in the NBA, sources said.
The billup encouraged the examination, and his answers in multiple conversations with Blazers officials were in line with the findings of an independent investigation, the sources said. The Blazers ultimately did not get anything they believed disqualified the Billups from becoming the new head coach of the franchise.
The Clippers credit the Billups for their success in working with All-Star Paul George to hone their playmaking skills this season. Olsche's history with the Billups goes back to the 2011–2012 season with the Clippers in other ways.
Sources said Olsche has long regarded the Billups as one of the best leaders he has faced in the NBA, and that relationship — along with Lillard's public support — played a role in the Billups choosing Portland's job on other occasions.
The Billups are tasked with elevating the Blazers' defense, which last season was the worst-ranked in the league and continues to build on the top-rated offense featuring Lillard and CJ McCallum.
"Portland is a special place and a unique franchise," Billups said in a statement. “As a player I have always loved playing here because the passion and knowledge of the fans brought out the best in me as a competitor. Now I look forward to being on the other side of that energy and connecting with the Portland community.” Another level."
Portland plans to go on the offensive in the surrounding Billups, having served a season as a Clippers assistant with an experienced coaching staff. The Billups replaced Stotts, who left Portland after eight straight trips to the playoffs, including three first-round exits in the previous four years.
Brooklyn Nets assistant Mike D'Antoni and San Antonio Spurs assistant Becky Hyman also met with Allen and Olsche in Seattle, sources said.
Billup was a five-time NBA All-Star and MVP of the 2004 NBA Finals as a member of the Detroit Pistons.