PORTLAND, OREGON – DECEMBER 13: President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey of the Portland Trail Blazers watches the action from the stands during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Moda Center on December 13, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
In a move that came out of nowhere, but also has seemed to be a possibility for a long time, the Portland Trail Blazers announced on Friday that they had parted ways with General Manager Neil Olshey.
Or, perhaps more correctly, the news was broken by the reputable sources on Twitter who feed us all of the relevant NBA information. Olshey was ultimately let go for violating codes of conduct, but that was just the final nail in a coffin that was lowered into the ground long ago.
Olshey somehow lasted 10 seasons as the GM of the Trail Blazers, and if that somehow seems harsh, then you only need to look back over the tenure of Olshey to see that it really isn’t.
Portland Trail Blazers firing Neil Olshey is too little, too late
The Trail Blazers might be a small market team, and Olshey and the front office did work well within the confines of that to create a competitive roster, but there were too many fatal missteps.
In the end the firing of Olshey is welcome news to fans of the franchise, but it is also unfortunately too little, too late.
We’ve already reached the point in the conversation where Damian Lillard looks increasingly likely to eventually suit up for another organization. He has not said this publicly, and truthfully the guy is all class and one of the best professionals in the game, but he is also 31. At an age where winning is everything, and why he deserves the chance to do so elsewhere as well.
Trail Blazers</a> announced on Friday that they had parted ways with General Manager Neil Olshey.</p>
<p>Or, perhaps more correctly, the news was broken by the <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/03/portland-trail-blazers-fire-neil-olshey/"https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1466817553443995678" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reputable sources on Twitter</a> who feed us all of the relevant NBA information. Olshey was ultimately let go for violating codes of conduct, but that was just the final nail in a coffin that was lowered into the ground long ago.</p>
<p>Olshey somehow lasted 10 seasons as the GM of the Trail Blazers, and if that <em>somehow</em> seems harsh, then you only need to look back over the tenure of Olshey to see that it really isn’t.</p>
<h2>Portland Trail Blazers firing Neil Olshey is too little, too late</h2>
<p>The Trail Blazers might be a small market team, and Olshey and the front office did work well within the confines of that to create a competitive roster, but there were too many fatal missteps.</p>
<p>In the end the firing of Olshey is welcome news to fans of the franchise, but it is also unfortunately too little, too late.</p>
<p>We’ve already reached the point in the conversation where Damian Lillard looks increasingly likely to eventually suit up for another organization. He has not said this publicly, and truthfully the guy is all class and one of the best professionals in the game, but he is also 31. At an age where winning is everything, and why he deserves the chance to do so elsewhere as well.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/03/portland-trail-blazers-fire-neil-olshey/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Financial/drafting issues </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_439101" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img class="size-full wp-image-439101" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/03/portland-trail-blazers-fire-neil-olshey/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2129,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1356309624.jpeg" alt="Portland Trail Blazers, Neil Olshey" width="3200" height="2129" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1356309624.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1356309624-768x511.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – NOVEMBER 29: Anfernee Simons #1 of the Portland Trail Blazers in action during a game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on November 29, 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Why the Portland Trail Blazers fired Neil Olshey: Financial and draft issues</h2>
<p>The Trail Blazers are as far away from contention as they have ever been. This is because the best teams in the Western Conference have set a… trailblazing pace (sorry) through the years, with the likes of the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers constantly reloading in some form.</p>
<p>The superhuman play of Lillard used to be enough to tick off some big regular-season wins and a ticket to the postseason. That is no longer guaranteed.</p>
<p>Lillard needs help, and a lot of it, but the Trail Blazers have backed themselves into a corner financially. If you look at the money <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/03/portland-trail-blazers-fire-neil-olshey/"https://www.spotrac.com/nba/cap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the franchise is spending</a> this year, it is right up there with the contenders. The only issue is, the Trail Blazers are most certainly not that.</p>
<p>As things stand, the money owed to players is only going to get worse next season. They still have a number of first-round draft picks at their disposal, but for two reasons, this isn’t as exciting as it should be.</p>
<p>The first is that the Trail Blazers are stuck in the dreaded position of being too good to be truly bad, meaning these picks are highly likely to fall outside the lottery.</p>
<p>The second is that, and it is part of the reason Olshey is now gone, the franchise hasn’t done much with these picks since drafting Lillard in 2012. Outside of taking C.J. McCollum the following year, <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/03/portland-trail-blazers-fire-neil-olshey/"https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/teams/Portland-Trail-Blazers/24/Draft-History" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the list is grim</a>. About as good as it has gotten has been taking Anfernee Simons in 2018, who continues to look one year away from being one year away from making a difference.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/03/portland-trail-blazers-fire-neil-olshey/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Poor roster construction </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_439102" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img class="size-full wp-image-439102" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/03/portland-trail-blazers-fire-neil-olshey/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1356894212.jpeg" alt="Portland Trail Blazers, Neil Olshey" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1356894212.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1356894212-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">PORTLAND, OREGON – DECEMBER 02: Dennis Smith Jr. #10 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts agianst the San Antonio Spurs during the third quarter at Moda Center on December 02, 2021 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Why the Portland Trail Blazers fired Neil Olshey: Poor roster construction</h2>
<p>If the inability to draft quality players wasn’t bad enough, taking a look at the current roster only amplifies the issues in Portland even more. Jusuf Nurkic is a good player, but he always seems to be injured.</p>
<p>Norman Powell is also solid, but the team gave up the equally good Gary Trent Jr. to acquire him from the Toronto Raptors. A kind of sideways move.</p>
<p>Robert Covington has lost what made him special since joining, and somehow both Ben McLemore and Dennis Smith Jr. are on the payroll. Beyond that, getting Larry Nance Jr. in a three-team deal over the summer did look like a steal, and if nothing else, he will have trade value if the Trail Blazers now decide to blow this thing up.</p>
<p>At 11-12, <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/03/portland-trail-blazers-fire-neil-olshey/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/03/nba-predictions-reactions-survey/" rel="">they’re going nowhere fast</a>, have an in-his-prime star who needs to win now, and a lot of money committed to a considerable amount of meh. Free agents aren’t queueing up to sign there.</p>
<p>Factor in firing previous head coach Terry Stotts (if nothing else, a consistent presence), and the wheels have been coming off for a while now.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/03/portland-trail-blazers-fire-neil-olshey/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The final straw </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_439103" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img class="size-full wp-image-439103" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/03/portland-trail-blazers-fire-neil-olshey/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F625632628.jpeg" alt="Portland Trail Blazers, Neil Olshey" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/625632628.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/625632628-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">NEW ORLEANS, LA – NOVEMBER 18: Evan Turner #1 of the Portland Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard #0 and Allen Crabbe #23 react during the first half of a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on November 18, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Why the Portland Trail Blazers fired Neil Olshey: The summer of 2016</h2>
<p>Really though, the writing was probably on the wall for Olshey in the summer of 2016. When the cap spike hit, he oversaw the signing of Evan Turner (four years, $70 million), Allen Crabbe (four years, $75 million, for a <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/03/portland-trail-blazers-fire-neil-olshey/"https://www.blazersedge.com/2020/10/23/21522469/portland-trail-blazers-nba-free-agents-2016-salary-cap-meyers-leonard-evan-turner-allen-crabbe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">foundational piece</a> as Olshey put it at the time). and Moe Harkless (four years, $42 million).</p>
<p>In defense of Harkless he was actually okay during his tenure, but for the money spent the collection of talent was middling at best, and franchise-altering (in a bad way) at worst.</p>
<p>This was the moment Olshey lost his job, and although a Western Conference Finals appearance would follow, upon reflection we can see this as a period of time where some great Lillard and McCollum years were lost. The West was even more brutal then, and as likable as some of these players were and continue to be, they were never making the Finals.</p>
<p>Drafting a generational talent to a small market buys you some time as a GM. Olshey did that part, but found the next piece of it all, building the competitive roster around them for the long-term, hard.</p>
<p>Many before him have tried and failed as well, but for the Trail Blazers, this move has come too late in the day to make a difference to the here and now. Maybe this coming decade will be different.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="3 struggling NBA players who need to step it up" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/02/nba-players-struggling-stepup/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/03/portland-trail-blazers-fire-neil-olshey/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/02/nba-players-struggling-stepup/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> 3 struggling NBA players who need to step it up </a> </div>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—>">
