Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Portland Fire Hire Cavaliers Assistant Alex Sarama as Inaugural Head Coach

The Cavaliers assistant is known for a constraints-led, evidence-based development approach viewed in Portland as the foundation for a 2026 debut.

Overview

  • The franchise confirmed Sarama’s appointment Friday, adding him to a leadership group led by general manager Vanja Černivec and newly named vice president Ashley Battle.
  • Sarama and the Cavaliers are discussing the timing of his exit, and his full-time start in Portland could be influenced by the WNBA’s CBA negotiations and related expansion-draft scheduling.
  • His coaching centers on the Constraints-Led Approach that prioritizes adaptable, game-like learning over rote drills, a philosophy he detailed in his book Transforming Basketball.
  • The English-born coach previously worked with London Lions, Paris Basketball, the Rip City Remix, and NBA Europe, and he has longstanding ties to Černivec from their Madrid tenure.
  • The Fire had briefly revealed the hire earlier in a premature LinkedIn post, and the team will begin play in May 2026.