GM Olshey To Leave Clippers, Join Blazers
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).
Olshey Fallout: Canales, Blazers, Buchanan, Clips
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..
Clippers To Retain Neil Olshey As GM
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.
Blazers Moving Closer To GM Decision
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.
Los Angeles Rumors: Olshey, Gasol, Brown
- Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com observes that Rich Cho, the last GM candidate who traveled abroad to speak with Blazers owner Paul Allen about the position, as Clippers GM Neil Olshey has reportedly done, wound up getting the job.
- We passed along today that Sam Smith of Bulls.com hears Pau Gasol would be interested in playing for the Bulls, but Kyler doesn't think Chicago would take on Gasol's contract, which has two seasons and close to $38.3MM left on it (Twitter link).
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld would be "more than shocked" if the Lakers fire coach Mike Brown, despite the team's first-round struggles and second-round ouster in the playoffs (Twitter link).
- Earlier this evening I examined the upcoming free agency of Lakers backup big man Jordan Hill.
GM Rumors: Olshey, Blazers, Magic, Kupchak
Earlier today we rounded up the latest from Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld on the Magic's search for a new GM, and the news continues to come in from Orlando as well as from Portland, where the Blazers are also looking for a GM. Here's what we're hearing:
- Clippers GM Neil Olshey recently spoke to Blazers owner Paul Allen about Portland's GM position, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, who notes Olshey is not under contract for next season (Twitter links).
- Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak has emerged as the No. 1 candidate for the Blazers GM job and the team is awaiting his decision, Kyler tweets. Kyler says Chris Mullin is next in line if Kupchak turns Portland down, contradicting what we heard last week about Mullin suggesting he was not in the running.
- Kupchak is also a candidate for the Magic's GM position, but Kyler isn't sure he'd take that job, as he'd like to continue working with Andrew Bynum (Twitter link). That said, a swap of Bynum for Dwight Howard, as has been discussed, would allow Kupchak to bring the big man to Florida with him.
- Kyler said earlier that the Magic would have to move quickly if they wanted Kevin Pritchard for their GM job, and now Berger tweets that the team has reached out to him.
- Jeff Bower will interview for the Magic GM job this week, Berger reports (Twitter link). Bower interviewed earlier this month for same position with the Blazers.