Jim Moran Leaving Rip City Remix for Sacramento Kings Assistant Coaching Job

The Trail Blazers’ G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix, is in the market for a new head coach. Jim Moran, the longtime Blazers and Pistons assistant who led the Remix during their inaugural season, is leaving to take a job on Mike Brown’s staff with the Sacramento Kings, according to a league source. FOX 40 in Sacramento first reported the news.

Moran joined the Blazers as an assistant video coordinator in 2014 and was promoted a year later to be a full-time assistant coach under Terry Stotts. He stayed in that role until Stotts was fired in 2021, and then joined Dwane Casey’s staff as an assistant coach in Detroit. The Blazers named him the first-ever head coach of the Remix last June, when they were preparing to launch their own G League affiliate.

In his first season as a head coach in the G League, Moran led the Remix to a 26-24 record between the regular season and Showcase Cup play, missing the playoffs by one game on the last day of the regular season.

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The Rose Garden ReportSean Highkin

Moran landing a job on an NBA coaching staff represents a success for the Remix after its first season. While the G League’s primary focus is on player development, it’s also an important tool for less experienced coaches and front-office staffers to develop their skills and put themselves on the radar of NBA teams for higher-profile jobs. Several head coaches, including Nick Nurse, Quin Snyder and reigning Coach of the Year Mark Daigneault, worked in the G League before getting their current gigs. The 45-year-old Moran was very well-liked by Blazers players and staff and is seen by many around the NBA as a future head coaching prospect.

Building the Rip City Remix

Starting a professional sports franchise from scratch is a daunting task, and the Trail Blazers were on an accelerated timeline. Since he took over as general manager in 2021, Joe Cronin had wanted a G League team. The Blazers were one of two teams that didn't have an affiliate in the NBA's minor league, and it was putting them at a disadvantage in player development.

The Rose Garden ReportSean Highkin

The Blazers will now begin a search for Moran’s replacement. His lead assistant, George Galanopolous, also left earlier this month to join newly hired Washington State men’s basketball head coach David Riley’s staff. The Remix’s other two assistant coaches, Chris Kent and Leron Black, are still with the organization.