It's been an eventful 24 hours in the Pacific Division, with Clippers GM Neil Olshey bolting for Portland and the Lakers officially locking Andrew Bynum into the final year of his contract. Let's round up a few notes on the fallout of those decisions, along with the rest of the Tuesday morning updates out of the Pacific….
While most mock drafters simply forecast the first 30 picks, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld doesn't stop after the first round — in his latest mock, he predicts all 60 selections, from Anthony Davis at No. 1 to Kris Joseph at No. 60. He also shares a few more items of interest in his NBA AM column and via Twitter. Here are a few highlights:
In spite of Neil Olshey's departure, the Clippers are still confident in their chances of signing Blake Griffin to a long-term contract extension. Sources tells ESPN.com's Marc Stein that the absence of Olshey, who accepted the Trail Blazers' GM job, will have "no significant impact" on negotiations with Griffin. According to Stein, the Clips continue to believe that Griffin will sign a long-term extension this offseason rather than hitting restricted free agency next summer.
9:12pm: Olshey's deal is for three years with a team option for a fourth, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. According to sources, the Clippers were willing to match the offer but Olshey ultimately decided to take the Blazers job.
7:12pm: The Clippers announced that they have mutually agreed to part ways with General Manager Neil Olshey. Olshey will now take over as the GM of the Trail Blazers, a source confirmed to David Aldridge of TNT (via Twitter).
Just days after announcing a new deal with General Manager Neil Olshey, the Clippers announced today that the two sides mutally agreed to part ways. Mere minutes later, news broke that Olshey had reached an agreement to become the next GM of the Trail Blazers. Here are the latest reactions and fallout from today's shocking news..
MONDAY, 4:11pm: The agreement to keep Olshey in Los Angeles as the team's general manager is not yet finalized, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Considering the Clippers themselves announced the agreement in principle on Friday, I'd be surprised if the deal fell apart, but nothing is officially completed yet.
So far this season, rumors surrounding restricted free agent Alonzo Gee have invariably involved the Suns, who are eyeing the Cavs guard and reportedly considering making him a four-year, $16MM offer. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio, however, Phoenix isn't the only team preparing to pursue Gee. The Wizards, Celtics, and Rockets will also have the 25-year-old "high on their wish list," says Amico, adding that the Cavs like Gee and hope to keep him. Here are a few more rumblings from around the league courtesy of Amico….
The Northwest Division's lone remaining team in the postseason, the Thunder showed last night that they weren't about to go down without a fight. In snapping San Antonio's win streak at 20 games, Oklahoma City made the Western Conference Finals a series again, and proved that the Spurs aren't quite as invincible as they seemed. While we wait for Game 4 tomorrow, here are a few notes out of the Northwest, including a Nuggets injury update and details on the Timberwolves' draft plans….
Earlier this evening, we learned that former Lakers and Bulls coach Phil Jackson was approached with an offer from the Magic to join their front office. The basketball legend was reportedly considering the offer right up until this afternoon, when he informed Orlando that he would instead be taking another opportunity. As we anxiously await to see where the Zen Master lands, here's a look at the latest from Sam Amick of SportsIllustrated.com on other possibilities for the Magic and other news..
WEDNESDAY, 11:28am: Paul Allen has interviewed four GM candidates in person and is currently conducting reference checks, the Blazers owner tweeted this morning. While earlier reports suggested Portland had narrowed its search to three finalists, it appears both DiLeo and Olshey are still in the running along with Bower and Morway, assuming those are the four interviewees to whom Allen is referring.