Micah Nori Talks Plans for Trail Blazers' Offense, Rotations

📍LAS VEGAS — Being in the NBA for almost three decades, Micah Nori has been to plenty of Summer Leagues. But this is his first one as a head coach.

"I think the biggest thing is, it’s harder to get through the hallways at the Wynn," he joked. "It's a lot of people offering well-wishes and they all have good intentions."

That flood of goodwill continued in the gym. The Trail Blazers' third Summer League game on Monday came against the Minnesota Timberwolves, where Nori spent the last five seasons as Chris Finch's lead assistant. In the hour leading up to tipoff, a steady parade of Wolves players, coaches and support staff came up to him to exchange hugs and offer congratulations on Nori finally landing his first NBA head coaching job in Portland.

During the Blazers' first two games of Summer League, Nori joined the national TV broadcasts for segments. This much extra attention is all new to him as a lifer assistant, and he can take it or leave it.

"I think it’s a necessary part of the job," he said. "I think it’s good because it keeps people involved. Especially for Portland fans, it lets them be a little closer to the team if you give them some inside information. It’s something they may enjoy. But as far as, do I like it and crave it? No, I don’t. I don’t despise it, but I understand it’s very necessary."

Before that Timberwolves game, Nori and I talked for a few minutes about his early impressions of the Blazers players he's been around in Las Vegas, how he plans to approach his rotations next season and how the way the Blazers play may be similar and different to how the Timberwolves played.

The conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

How much are you doing day-to-day during Summer League? Are you overseeing the game plan out here or is it more just getting to know the team?

Really nothing. With Summer League, we didn’t have any draft picks. We have the two two-ways [Jayson Kent and Chris Youngblood], but they were with us in Portland so they know what we’re doing. But as far as putting in schemes, not a whole lot. I’m just letting [Summer League coach] Gil [Abraham] and his group do their thing and spending more time with our vets and talking about how we want to play.

You were sitting next to Scoot during the Orlando game last night, and it looked like the two of you were talking the whole time. What was that conversation like?