J.B. Bickerstaff says Micah Nori's Trail Blazers contract, which reportedly guarantees only 1 year, is 'slap in the face' to coaches' value
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Andy BackstromContributing writerThu, June 25, 2026 at 4:09 AM UTC·4 min readMicah Nori's meticulous climb up the NBA coaching ladder has finally resulted in his first head-coaching opportunity, but the unorthodox contract he reportedly signed with the Portland Trail Blazers has overshadowed the feel-good story of his well-respected basketball journey.
The Athletic's Jason Quick reported on Tuesday that the 52-year-old Nori, who spent the past five seasons as the Minnesota Timberwolves' lead assistant, inked a one-year deal with team options for each of the next two seasons.
AdvertisementAdvertisementOn Wednesday, ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported the same details of the contract, which most notably includes only one guaranteed year. Also in MacMahon's report, he stated that Nori's deal has a below-market base salary, includes team success-based incentives and has drawn immense ire from J.B. Bickerstaff, who's not only the head coach of the Detroit Pistons but also the president of the National Basketball Coaches Association.
"Most ownership understands that there is value in quality coaching and good coaching, and they're willing to pay for it," Bickerstaff told ESPN. "Coaching salaries have been increasing because the league understands and owners understand the value of quality coaching.
"So for a new guy to come in who doesn't have that understanding and to go out and chop at the knees of coaches is a slap in the face to our value."
Bickerstaff made it clear to ESPN that he's thrilled for Nori's deserved moment but that he's concerned his contract could set a devaluing precedent for NBA coaches. In other words, Bickerstaff's placing the blame on the Trail Blazers and, more specifically, the "new guy," AKA owner Tom Dundon.
AdvertisementAdvertisementDundon, who also owns the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, led a group that purchased the Trail Blazers for $4.25 billion, a sale the NBA approved on March 30.
Since he took over the franchise, he's been scrutinized heavily for his cost-cutting measures. Reports have detailed Portland cutting corners on travel expenses, including not bringing its two-way players on the road for the opening weekend of the playoffs and asking staffers to check out of their Phoenix-area hotel rooms hours before the first team bus left for a play-in tournament game versus the Suns so that the team could avoid late-checkout fees.
AdvertisementAdvertisementLast month, news broke that the Trail Blazers laid off around 70 people. At the time, team president Dewayne Hankins characterized the personnel changes as restructuring.
In an interview with The Oregonian, Dundon maintained that everything he is doing is in the "relentless pursuit of trying to win." Dundon made similar money-saving maneuvers early in his ownership of the Hurricanes, who have flourished since that purchase as a perennial playoff team.
But the NHL and NBA are different, and, as illustrated in ESPN's report, it's atypical for an NBA coach to be working on a year-to-year deal.
"It changes the math on where a coach stands, and it creates an environment where how do you hold players accountable when it looks like you are easily replaced and removed if things don't go the way that players may see it going," Bickerstaff told ESPN. "It's almost, which is disappointing, a mindset of the substitute teacher being there with no guarantee or support [regarding] what it looks like long term or in the future.
"I've talked to a lot of coaches — head coaches, assistant coaches — who are extremely concerned. It's a very serious matter to us as coaches to make sure that we protect the value of coaching staffs. It's years and years of work that coaches have put in to put ourselves in this position and to put future coaches in the position where our value remains and isn't disregarded because of a power flux of ownership."
Even before Portland's season ended, reports surfaced that the Dundon-led Trail Blazers weren't willing to pay top dollar for a head coach. Here's what general manager Joe Cronin said in his end-of-season news conference:
"A lot of the reports on budget out there were a little misleading," Cronin said on April 30. "Have talked to Tom a lot about this. We're going to pay the coach based on some sort of level of shared risk. If it's a first-time coach who comes with a lot of risk and doesn't have a market that we have to necessarily compete in, it'll be one number.
"If the coach we're talking to is a 15-year vet and a future Hall of Famer, it's going to be a completely different number, and Tom isn't going to flinch at either of those scenarios. We're going to be very open-minded to what types of people we interview and would potentially bring in, and I'm not concerned about the number at all."
Portland wound up bringing in a first-time head coach, choosing Nori over two other reported finalists, former interim head coach Tiago Splitter — who ended up earning the Chicago Bulls' top gig — and Boston Celtics assistant Tyler Lashbrook.
AdvertisementAdvertisementNori filled the final NBA head-coaching vacancy this cycle, bringing an end to one of the more criticized searches in recent league history.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
