Trail Blazers Rumors

9:43pm: Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen wrote about the franchise's general manager position in a lengthy piece of commentary posted on the team's website on Tuesday. 

What is the right fit? First and foremost, the GM has to have what I refer to as the "golden gut." The job requires more than an ability to assess basketball talent. It's also about weighing the intangibles, from character to medical issues, and all the risks involved. Almost every NBA draftee, for example, has some injury history. (And those medical histories are carefully reviewed by our topnotch medical team.)

Allen went on to describe in greater detail some of the specifics he is looking for in the ideal candidate and the type of relationship he will have with the next general manager.

The GM has to be a good fit with the players, coaches, management, and the Portland community. Of course, I'll also be evaluating how the GM will interact with me, as I'm an engaged and active owner and I ask a lot of questions. It's important for me to clearly understand all the facets of what we're thinking of doing, both on and off the court.

3:12pm: Former Nuggets and Nets GM Kiki Vandeweghe told Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com that the Portland job looks "very attractive," but didn't say whether Miller and the Blazers have reached out to him about it.

12:13pm: One unknown candidate for the Trail Blazers' general manager opening has had a face-to-face interview with owner Paul Allen. However, team president Larry Miller tells Jason Quick of the Oregonian that at least three candidates will be brought in to meet with Allen before a final decision is made.

"I think we have some really viable candidates right now, candidates who seem like they would be a good fit, would bring the kind of experience we are looking for," Miller said. "So I’m optimistic we are making some progress."

Miller acknowledged that some of the Blazers' targets are currently employed by teams still playing in the postseason, and said some clubs have denied him permission to speak with employees. Still, he hopes to have a new GM in place well before the June 28th draft.

"We’d love to have somebody in place as soon as we can, so as we go into the draft we have somebody in place," Miller said. "That may or may not happen, but we’d love to be able to do that. If it’s somebody who happens to be in the playoffs, it will be challenging to do that. But our goal is to get somebody as quickly as we can, but to also make sure it’s the right person."

Miller also spoke to Quick about the favorable aspects of the job, such as the team's cap and draft-pick situation, as well as the opportunity to hire a new coach. However, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld hears that some candidates may be turned off by the turnover in the team's front office in recent years. According to Kyler's sources, "there are way too many layers of people" in the Blazers' front office, which could turn off potential candidates.

Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen posted his thoughts and feelings regarding the franchise's past season on the team's website on Tuesday. Here are some of the highlights:

Allen addressed the team's decision to part ways with head coach Nate McMillan during the season and described it as a need for significant change.

On March 15, Larry, Chad and I agreed we needed big changes, including replacing Coach Nate McMillan with assistant coach Kaleb Canales. I'm not a big fan of changing head coaches midseason. It's something that happened only three times before in Blazer history.

I want to thank Nate again for all he did for the team and for the city of Portland, and for the class he showed in his departure. I appreciate Nate saying that we had always given him the tools he needed to do his job. That's been an important principle for me in all the years I've owned the Blazers, and I remain committed to doing the same in the future.

Allen went on to discuss the team's plans for the offseason including free agency and the draft.

… We also own three or four picks in what is looking to be a talent-rich draft pool.

Going into next season, it's a priority for us to improve defensively, to play better and more consistently, and to win on the road.

One thing we are not going to do is to spend money like there is no tomorrow, and calls to do so just don't make sense. I've tried that path before — it doesn't work and is not sustainable. We will follow a judicious and sustainable path going forward.

Allen alluded to his future with the team and how he does not have plans to sell the franchise any time soon. 

By talking about the future of the Blazers, I know it will raise questions about my continued ownership of the team. Let me be clear and repeat what I've said before: The team is not for sale. I'm working hard to get this team back on track. No offers have been made to buy the team and none have been solicited.

As I told reporters in the Rose Garden in December, there could come a time when I decide to sell the Trail Blazers. Many factors would go into that decision, including my health, the team's economics, and the progress I can see on the court. (On the first item: I'm feeling good these days and have remained in remission for two years.)

9:58pm: In a tweet, The Oregonian's Jason Quick says Donnie Walsh has not interviewed with the Trail Blazers, and that a former GM with a long history in the NBA was recently interviewed by owner Paul Allen.

9:30pm: Yahoo! Sports' NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski told John Canzano on Portland's 750 AM The Game radio show that the Trail Blazers are having difficulty in their search for a new general manager. Due to Portland's questionable hierarchy, and Paul Allen's looming uncertainty regarding whether or not he'll keep the team, Wojnarowski says the franchise is experiencing rejection from several current general managers who they've reached out to. 

One possible candidate who's already been linked to the position is Indiana GM David Morway. According to Wojnarowski, with current team president Larry Bird expected to leave, Reggie Miller and Donnie Nelson are both in the mix to find work in the Pacers front office, overcrowding things and giving Morway incentive to leave. If they don't land Morway, the Trail Blazers could be forced to look at less experienced candidates who're currently serving in assistant roles.