The Portland Trail Blazers have filled two of their three open assistant coach positions, naming Nate Bjorkgren and Chris Fleming as assistant coaches on head coach Chauncey Billups’ staff.
Last season, Bjorkgren served in a consultant role for the Blazers. Prior to that, he served an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors (2021-23, 2018-2020) and was the head coach of the Indiana Pacers for the 2020-2021 season. A professional basketball coach of 17 years, Bjorkgren’s first NBA coaching job came as an assistant with the Phoenix Suns.
Bjorkgren began his professional coaching career with the Iowa Energy of the NBA G League as an assistant coach, helping the team win a championship in 2010-11 before becoming the head coach of the Dakota Wizards prior to their move to Santa Cruz. The Warriors appeared in the Finals in their first season in Santa Cruz under Bjorkgren during the 2012-13 season. Bjorkgren also had NBA G League head coaching stops with the Iowa Energy and Bakersfield Jam.
Before joining the Blazers, Fleming spent the last five seasons as an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls and will be entering his 10th season as an NBA coach. Prior to Chicago, Fleming spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets, helping the team improve its win total each season. Fleming’s NBA coaching career began with the Denver Nuggets in 2015-16.
Fleming also served as a head coach in Germany for 14 years where he spent eight seasons with QSTV/Artland Dragons in Quakenbrϋck and six seasons with Brose Baskets Bamberg, where he led Brose Baskets to four German League championships and was named the German League Coach of the Year in 2011. During his time in Germany, Fleming captured four Germany Cup championships along with three German Supercup championships and spent three seasons (2014-18) coaching the German national team.

Blazers retain Chauncey Billups but reshape his staff

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups looks on during the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center.
© Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

At the end of the season, the Blazers didn’t renew the contracts of lead assistant Scott Brooks or Billups’ brother, Rodney. Another assistant, Steve Hetzel, left to become the lead assistant for the Brooklyn Nets under newly hired head coach Jordi Fernandez. The rest of Billups’ assistants from last year – Jonah Herscu, Roy Rogers, and Mark Tyndale – are still with the Blazers.

Portland still needs to hire one more assistant to fill out the staff.

The changes come in what is a critical year for Billups. The Blazers hold a team option for the 2025-26 season that has not been picked up, and likely won't be – at least before the season starts.  Portland GM Joe Cronin publicly committed to Billups during exit interviews at the end of last season, but the Blazers have yet to offer him further job security. Without any contractual guarantee beyond this coming season, Billups heads into the season as a lame duck coach.