1:46pm: Olshey has officially signed his extension, the Blazers announced today in a press release.
“Neil has done an exceptional job finding and keeping the talent that has made the Trail Blazers a perennial playoff team, culminating in this season’s magical run to the Western Conference Finals,” owner Jody Allen said in a statement. “I have great confidence in the culture he has created in Portland, and I look forward to seeing it thrive and grow for years to come.”
12:27pm: The Trail Blazers have agreed to a contract extension with president of basketball operations Neil Olshey, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Wojnarowski, the new deal will keep Olshey under contract through 2024.
The news comes on the heels of a report that Olshey was receiving some interest from the Wizards for their own head of basketball operations position. That report indicated that Olshey was locked up through 2021 and may be open to other opportunities. However, with a new deal in hand, the veteran executive is now set to remain in Portland for the next several years.
Olshey, who previously worked in the Clippers’ front office, serving as the club’s general manager for two years, took over as the Trail Blazers’ head of basketball operations in June of 2012. His first move with the club saw him use the No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 draft on Damian Lillard, who has since become the Blazers’ franchise player.
While Portland had a 33-49 record in Olshey’s first year in the front office, the team has been one of the Western Conference’s most successful organizations since then, making six consecutive playoff appearances and averaging nearly 49 wins per season since the start of the 2013/14 campaign. The Blazers won four playoff series during that stretch, making the Western Conference Finals this spring for the first time since 2000.
Blazers head coach Terry Stotts agreed to an extension with the club earlier this week.
I hate to keep criticizing a team that rose to the WC finals. Obviously they’re doing something right, but.
In 2012/13, when most teams got nothing from weak drafts, Olshey found Lillard & McCollum. This past year Olshey took a risk on Hood and that got them past Denver IMO. Between those choices is not much good, outside of just keeping it together.
L&M added to existing Aldridge, Batum, & Mathews, led to a peak year in 2014. Somehow both Robin Lopez and LMA, issues unmanaged, left in 2015. There followed decent trades mixed with fails. In 2016 Olshey overpaid 6 of 8 players including Crabbe, Evan Turner, & Myers Leonard, jamming the team financially ever since. Their splash lite offense won’t get past GSW.
But congrats on the results. Hard to say if the prospective McCollum-Love trade would have better results, but Olshey would probably have a better shot finding another McCollum than another LMA… Fussing with Love is better then fussing with Zach Collins.
I meant, Olshey has been better at drafting guards… He has yet to have much success drafting forwards & centers. I count 0 wins, 4 losses and 4 ties for bigs in the draft.
So draft guards & trade them for bigs!
Tidy and well said. Morning report in place so now on to the rest of the day. I’ll add a single thought on the Love-Collins aspect. If Love is healthy, he’s a points machine of a very high order. If. Collins at 21 has an upside that is intriguing. Love is 9 years older. At the same age it’d be a no brainer, but in 2019-20?