Kaleb Canales
In 2005, Canales was hired as a video intern for the Portland Trail Blazers, and was eventually hired as the team's video coordinator. In 2009, he was promoted to an assistant coach for the team. In 2010, Canales served as the Blazers' head coach during the NBA Summer League. He was promoted to interim head coach of the Trail Blazers after head coach Nate McMillan was dismissed on March 15, 2012. Canales became the youngest active head coach in the NBA and the first Mexican-American coach in NBA history.
History of the Portland Trail Blazers
Due to the 2011 NBA lockout, team transactions were on hold until early December and a shortened 66-game schedule was created. On December 9, 2011, pre-season training camp began along with the free agency market. That morning it was made public that Portland's three-time All-Star guard Brandon Roy would retire due to chronic knee problems. Additionally, center Greg Oden was diagnosed with yet another setback involving his ongoing knee issues. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome in 2007, underwent a similar procedure to correct the heart problem after diagnosis earlier that day. Blazers interim GM Chad Buchanan signed three free agents the week before Portland's first exhibition game. On December 11, Portland agreed to terms with veteran forward-center Kurt Thomas to help fill the frontcourt void in the roster. In need of a scoring wingman after the departure of Roy and Fernandez, the Blazers signed 2010 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Winner Jamal Crawford on December 15 by using the new NBA Amnesty Clause on Roy. Later that day, the Blazers signed a third free agent, forward Craig Smith. After getting off to a 7–2 start and recognition as a growing power in the Western Conference, the team quickly began to collapse. Starting point guard Raymond Felton, among others, struggled with McMillan's new approach to a running-style offense. The team gained some notability as Aldridge was named to his first All-Star Game. Despite Aldridge's solid performance, the rest of the team became more inconsistent.