When president of basketball operations Neil Olshey told reporters last month that the Trail Blazers investigated the sexual assault allegations levied in 1997 against new head coach Chauncey Billups and came away confident Billups hadn’t engaged in wrongdoing, he declined to offer any details on that inquiry. Olshey simply asked fans and the media to trust that the team had thoroughly investigated the situation.
However, a new report from Conrad Wilson and Tony Schick of Oregon Public Broadcasting calls into question just how exhaustive the Trail Blazers’ investigation was. According to Wilson and Schick, the attorney for Jane Doe (Billups’ accuser) said the Blazers didn’t contact her or her client.
“It’s news to us that they conducted an investigation,” attorney Margaret A. Burnham said.
The Blazers’ review didn’t obtain information directly from several primary sources, per the OPB’s report. That doesn’t necessarily meant the team’s conclusion about Billups’ involvement in the 1997 incident was inaccurate, but it suggests that the franchise may not have done everything it could to get the full story.
Whether the latest revelation results in any blowback for Olshey remains to be seen, as Sean Highkin of Bleacher Report tweets. Either way, the fact that the story continues to create PR problems for the club doesn’t reflect well on the Blazers or their head of basketball operations.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- Alex Labidou of Nuggets.com provides some takeaways on the prospects that the Nuggets brought in for pre-draft workouts on Monday and Tuesday this week. Tuesday’s group included Chudier Bile (Georgetown), Carlik Jones (Louisville), Makur Maker (Howard), MaCio Teague (Baylor), Arnas Velicka (Lithuania), Moses Wright (Georgia Tech). Details on Monday’s group can be found here.
- The Jazz‘s biggest problems in the postseason were a lack of depth and a lack of versatility, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News, noting that the team figures to face some difficult roster decisions this offseason as it looks for ways to improve.
- There have been no reports stating that the Thunder are thinking about trading Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but some writers have put the 23-year-old in hypothetical trades that Oklahoma City could offer to move up in the draft. Responding to those suggestions, Ross Lovelace of Daily Thunder argues that Oklahoma City should be building around Gilgeous-Alexander, not considering moving him.
This OKC thing is a problem. They should limit the number of first round picks a team can hold. Now SGA is going to waste away on a team that won’t realistically contend for 3 or 4 years, probably traded somewhere crappy with good early draft picks, and the fanbase gets nothing.
Not sure how the league can afford to have no revenue coming in from a franchise (who’s buying tickets to games with no players? How many Poku jerseys can you really sell?) in what’s already following a down year.
Your posts tend to be delusional. There’s absolutely no point in limiting how many picks a team acquires.
For years Brooklyn and Philly were far worse teams
It would incentivize teams not to tank for long periods of time is all I’m getting at.
Also calling the number one commenter on the site “delusional” is kind of ironic lol.
Dude I have been here for half a decade, got logged out a few times, but point is I never saw your posts until real recently. This is a Trade Rumors app there is no leader board, but if there were I’m sure you and Wally would be somewhere near the bottom.
Obviously you don’t know/care about the leaderboard.
Because you aren’t on it.
*shrugs*
IDK if we’re comparing like for like I’d probably have you in spite of the fact that I don’t randomly comment BS on every single thread.
Likes? Lol. Do you think Michael Jordan’s opponents “liked” him?
We here talkin about likes?!
There actually is a leaderboard. The link is at the bottom of the screen.
Does that prestigious title pay well?
Lil D providing an ethics and economics lesson for all…one of the worst posts I’ve seen on this app
One of the worst posts…yet you have no actual counter to it?
Be better.
This empty rubbish reminds me of Todd’s article on the Jazz. The loss of GM Lindsay is never mentioned; does she know the new decision-making process— or the team’s existing philosophy? Hard question: is Favors a small-ball 5 or not— Do I have to read between the lines?
She sort of combines what silly angry people say and says it’s simple despite the contradictions.
Where do people get this fuss over young 3&D wings, looking at what drives the finalists.
Utah needed more depth at guard, not at the wings. Wing, what a name for someone. They had to quit using it in pro soccer and football because nobody wanted to get stuck being one.
Her article is pretty much spot on.
“Hard question: is Favors a small-ball 5 or not?” That’s not a hard question. Favors is 6’9″ 265 with no outside shot and not nearly as mobile as he once was. He’s a great rim protector but no he’s no small ball 5.
Chris Middleton, PJ Tucker, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Torrey Craig are all versatile 3 and D wings and while Tucker and Middleton aren’t young all are key components to the Suns and Bucks. All can cover multiple positions, all can shoot and attack closeouts on offense and in Chris Middleton’s case can “drive” the team. Utah doesn’t have any players that fit that mold.
Against the Clippers yes Mitchell and Conley were playing hurt so yeah they had problems at guard. Normally though Utah had Mitchell, Conley, Ingles and Clarkson that can play either guard position. If the lose Conley then yes they need help at guard but I do think a big wing would be a higher priority.
Well at least you have an opinion on Favors. The writer just talked around it with catch-phrases not specifics. Now how to change backup centers with almost no capspace left (find one that makes 3s). When Gobert comes out, everyone abandon their defensive scheme of running shooters off the 3-line and let Gobert take over. Gotta defend 1v1, not make runouts.
And you want Utah to run the five-out themselves, when they already have offense? You say, give up what got them the best record, and bid for what other teams are bidding on.
You just listed forwards and called them wings, wow. Middleton & Tucker are not young; CamJ and TorreyC are backups. None play guard, but will go inside. They are not an example of what was mentioned except Mikal. PHX features 2 guards and a center, all laid out in a traditional way. #1,#2,#3 in importance, none wings.
My opinion, Middleton being called a wing when Bud came in, set him back.
Ingles, Clarkson, Niang, Oneil all have a hard time defending guards, and the starting guards are small. If that was fixed with moderate talent, it would have been enough to advance. Yes, Utah also leads with 2 guards.
Lindsay’s solutions like Oni did not work and he is out. Snyder may have flailed intentionally vs Clippers to force the issue. The two were locked up. He may not like players he did not play.
You may be thinking of Mikal, “a big wing”, but that would take money and luck/drafting talent from the #30. There should be some interesing physical guards there who will stand in & slide up top.
Favors has two years left and gets PERs about 20 with Utah… I doubt other teams are clamoring for him though.
Lil D…OKC had revenue this past season…only thing I need to say to top either of your last comments
It is a problem since OKC no longer has any of the 3 MVP’s they drafted over 10 years ago.
How excited can you expect the fans there to be with the team rebuilding around SGA?
SGA would be Houston’s best player Wally
Yeah and the Rockets would literally trade any asset they currently have for SGA, he’s not the best young player in the league (not even close) but I’d much rather be OKC than Houston right now even without the 17 extra first round picks.
All I have to say is the OKC Fan Base is thrilled to be rebuilding around SGA. People forget OKC was play-in bound before SGA got hurt and then they decided to tank (which the fan base was fine with and had the full support). Just watch OKC won’t be as bad as everyone might think next season
So you have ZERO issue when philly did it with Embiid? Or Boston? But if okc stockpiles first rounders bc they fleeced both LAC and Houston all of sudden you have a problem with it? Stupid take.
It’s the only way okc will EVER build anything again. No marquee star is going to come here free agency unless the team is stocked and prepped for a championship. The stars want the big markets mostly. (Lebron, Durant, etc)
Don’t hate on the way Presti has to rebuild OKC. If SGA didn’t want to be here he could demand a trade like so so so so so so many other stars do. Far as I know, he hasn’t.
I do have an issue with it. My point is it’s gotten way out of hand. Teams have found ways to abuse it over time and now it’s reached an inflection point.
That in addition to a season with reduced revenue makes it that much more glaring.
PaulG up and wanted to leave. Presti got picks in trade. The world keeps turning. SGA needs to demand out. New stars will fill in eventually.
Yeah I have read reports that he doesn’t fit the current OKC Timeline, which is kind of crazy since he is only like 22. There is no guarantee with picks though, Boston had all those great picks ended up with only two really good young players same thing with Philly.
Billions & Blazers: lies lies lies lies lies lies lies
It makes you think about anytime you hear about these allegations being “investigated internally” and literally nothing ever comes of it…almost like they use that as code for “we will penalize the player in some way like money, but we aren’t going to actually lift a finger in any of this.”
The Jazz have the two finalist for 6 man of the year. Depth isn’t the issue, they need another star, Rudy just isn’t good enough to be your 2nd star when Donovan is your primary star. It’s a really nice team that’s built for playoff births, but it’s not close to a top contender built team.
becky hammon must of done something real horrible not to be getting a hc gig if other ppl can get one after some of their shady misdeeds.
SGA for 7, 14 and Jordan Poole (might be almost as good), lets go perfect fits both sides plus if OKC wants to go silly to try and trade up to #1 they get the firepower.
Tanking is mostly about a team’s own first round pick. Not the picks of other teams they may acquire in the “depletion” part of the rebuilding process. Acquiring other teams’ picks can actually shorten the tanking period.
Tanking, of the Philly/OKC variety (multi-year plan), is easy enough to stop, and the league knows it can, there just isn’t a collective will to do it. Losing teams, especially small market ones (the majority), like the tanking option, as it gives their franchises a chance to be the stars of draft night. Some winning teams like the fact that some other teams aren’t trying to win (it makes it easier on them – on the court and in trade talks).
The NBA knows a draft with 30 teams will never permit all teams to rely on it for a steady stream of NBA ready talent, and believes that certain teams have no path to elite talent other than to get to the top of a draft board. So, it looks the other way on tanking.
What do you know, a measured response. I don’t really understand the incentive for the league to look the other way because people “like” it though. This stuff all comes down to dollars.
Here, the people looking the other way (the league, controlled by small market owners) ARE the same people who like it (the small market owners). For them, it does comes down to $$ in franchise valuation. Someday soon, it will come to a head, because it’s not good for the game and thus the fans. When they speak, everyone will listen.
Best way to build a team. A playoff team. Is thru the draft. To get most of your core players thru draft. Is the best way and easier on the cap too. Tanking is a way to do this. It also give you a better shot (higher pick) at next great talents. Unfortunately it’s not guaranteed. Just look at all teams who fail with their lottery picks. OKC should do all they can to get Cade. He would put them back on map to success. And speed up the rebuilding there. Overpay to get him. They can afford to do it. He’d get City excited again.
SGA, #6 pick, #18 pick, plus switch 2nd rd picks. #35 to Pistons, #42 to Thunder.
I do that if I’m Pistons. With sixth pick you can still get a player, future all-star. Barnes should be there.
SGA and Hayes is the future backcourt. With Bey, Stewart, Diallo, Grant. Add Barnes, 16th pick, plus a center with that 35th pick. They have a great young foundation there. SGA is ready to become an all-star.
That’s a real optimistic view…
Keep SGA and offer the Pistons 6 1sts for the 1st pick if they don’t bite try again with Houston if not try again with Cleveland same again with Toronto. Cade, Green, Suggs and Mobley are all potential cornerstones. They’ve got plenty to spare so no need to worry about putting all your eggs in one basket.
OKC is going to move up in the draft. Houston will bite and they will get Mobley. Cunningham maynot be the best play in this draft as well.