Canzano: Trail Blazers search for next coach turns into power play amid Damian Lillard’s demands

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by SlyPokerDog, Jun 5, 2021.

  1. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    oregonlive.com

    Canzano: Trail Blazers search for next coach turns into power play amid Damian Lillard’s demands
    By John Canzano | The Oregonian/OregonLive

    Hand it to Aaron Goodwin today. The kingpin of Goodwin Sports Management and Damian Lillard’s agent may be engineering one of the most deft power plays in Trail Blazers’ history.

    Terry Stotts and the organization parted ways on Friday.

    Camp Lillard wasted no time in making it clear it wants the keys to the empire. I’ll leave out the -- “or else” -- part for now. But in the wake of Stotts’ departure Lillard told Yahoo! Sports, “Jason Kidd is the guy I want.”

    Goodwin was Kidd’s agent at the beginning of his NBA career. The Lakers’ assistant is now with Jeff Schwartz, best I can tell. But still, I couldn’t help but wonder what Goodwin and Lillard are up to here and where it might go next. Chauncey Billups, a well-known Neil Olshey confidante, was also mentioned as a short-list candidate.

    Congrats, Neil.

    You always wanted to star in a soap opera. Break a leg.

    Kidd’s baggage is troubling. The Lakers looked past it and hired him anyway. I wonder now if Blazers’ controlling owner Jody Allen will do the same. Or will she risk alienating Lillard and having to start all the way over? That’s where our state’s NBA organization finds itself today and I’m fascinated by how this will play out.

    Remember, Kidd was arrested and pleaded guilty in 2001 for domestic violence. More alleged abuse of his then-wife was well documented in their divorce in 2007. And he also once pleaded guilty to driving impaired after crashing his SUV into a utility pole.

    As a player in college at Cal, Kidd started the mutiny that got Lou Campanelli fired. As a pro, he ran Byron Scott out of a head coaching job. Then, when Kidd’s playing career ended, he became a coach himself. His first season on he job he was fined $50,000 by the NBA for intentionally spilling a drink on the court to stop play because he was out of timeouts. Later, Kidd demanded full control of the Nets basketball operations and when the organization refused he forced his way out.

    Today’s question: Does Lillard actually want Kidd?

    Or does he just want out of Portland?

    Lillard will be the league’s first $50-million-a-year player. He got a sweetheart sneaker deal with Adidas. Nobody disputes that Goodwin does a magnificent job representing his clients. But the Blazers aren’t the client here. Lillard is. None of what we’re seeing puts the franchise first.

    At different points of his career, Goodwin has represented LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Webber, Damon Stoudamire and Gary Payton. Also, he had Juwan Howard, whose name also curiously surfaced in some circles along with Billups and Kidd as a possible replacement for the Stotts.

    I’m not reading this as a head to head Olshey vs. Lillard battle at all. The GM would lose that in a first-round knockout. Olshey is probably more worried about his job security after offering Stotts up as a sacrifice for his own sins. But it’s curious to me that in the hours after the Blazers fired Stotts with $10 million left on his contract that the forces working behind the scenes went to the mattresses trying to gain control. It’s something Paul Allen would have never allowed if he were still alive and guarding his basketball baby.

    Back-channeling is nothing new in professional sports. It happens all the time. Agents, coaches, players and media are in a perpetual dance. It’s why the regular-season report about Stotts’ eroding job security attributed to a “source” was passed along as gospel. Franchise power plays aren’t unusual, either, especially when the parties involved smell weakness in the organization and control of Trail Blazers, Inc. feels up for grabs right now.

    At the end of the 2002-03 NBA season, Scottie Pippen tried to work behind the scenes to get a small ownership stake in the Trail Blazers. His career was winding down. Pippen’s contract with Portland ended and he reached out to Allen and tried to get a meeting. Pippen wanted to discuss the possibility of coming back for one more season with the Blazers in exchange for a small percentage of team ownership.

    Allen refused to even meet.

    Said one franchise source: “Paul wouldn’t even call Pip back.”

    We’re about to learn a little more about his sister, Jody Allen. The franchise has always been much bigger than one player or person. Lillard is making public demands. I guess I don’t blame him. He’s earned the right to have a vote. I’m surprised long-time Lillard ally and former Portland assistant David Vanterpool wasn’t mentioned. That is, unless Vanterpool is so loyal to his former boss (Stotts) that he wouldn’t entertain taking his job.

    Olshey remains employed, for now, despite orchestrating another first-round playoff disappointment. His favorite candidate appears to be Billups. The franchise has become reality television. Goodwin is wrapped up in it, be sure. It’s his job to see how much leverage and power Lillard might wrest. Be sure, if Lillard wanted Stotts to stay, he’d still be employed today.

    Is Lillard digging in here? Or just offering a suggestion? The public demand marks a sudden tactical shift from a player who has mostly preached loyalty and unity. Lillard has deftly worked behind the scenes to push his agendas in the past. Now, he’s out front.

    This franchise needs leadership. Not just a coach but organizational direction. At the very least what is certain to come from the drama is some clarity on who is running the operation and where it wants to go.

    Lillard has three years remaining on his contract. It’s a one-year player option after that. There’s a line of other franchises forming outside One Center Court ready to make offers for the All-Star should Portland balk at the notion of handing over so much control. It’s not the kind of game you buy a ticket to watch. But we all should have probably seen this coming.

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  2. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    This scenario is Canzano's wet dream. Finally, a role for a talentless shit-stirrer!
     
  3. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    Exactly!
     
  4. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    You can relate, huh.
     
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  5. Silver Corvidae

    Silver Corvidae Formerly Known as Red Rooster

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    I don't know why I clicked on this. I consciously never read Canzano, haven't for years. I guess I clicked because at least this wasn't going to give his "article" views and traffic. Now I wish I hadn't. Same M.O. after all these years. YAWN.
     
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  6. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

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    good thing no ones gonna read it except some stupid dog.
     
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  7. Wizard Mentor

    Wizard Mentor Wizard Mentor

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    Canzano is trash, as he has almost always been.
     
  8. Pinwheel1

    Pinwheel1 Well-Known Member

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    Reminds me of his article back in the day when they let Bob Whitsitt go. As I recall Canzano was pitching the conspiracy that Bob would still be running things from his home in Seattle ........behind the scenes.

    I am not a Kidd fan either but I doubt Dame will go with the power play. Although they better hire someone better than Terry or Dame will be pissed. And even though I am sure some of you will say that it is impossible to do so......you would be wrong.
     
  9. BBert

    BBert Weasels Ripped My Flesh

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    Jason Fucking Kidd? Really Dame? I get he was a childhood idol but come on. You aren't 8 years old.

    Jason Kidd, LOL
     
  10. Ripcity4life77

    Ripcity4life77 Well-Known Member

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    I think there is a element of truth to this piece but i think Clownzano is making way more out then there is at least from what i can see.
     
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  11. PCmor7

    PCmor7 Generational Poster

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    The is just sensationalism ... click-baiting disguised as journalism.

    It's opinion and speculation, nothing more.

    One thing about Vanterpool, though ... the Blazers have a superstar and ownership with money. They'll attract a number of very, very good, very, very qualified candidates. Vanterpool might be a good coach. Heck, he might turn out to be a great coach. Right now, though, Billups is a more-coveted assistant, if the Blazers go that direction. He's a better bet to succeed. And I think the Blazers would get him if they want him, but I bet some current and recent head coaches with good resumes will be in play, too. No point settling, right now, if you're the Blazers.
     

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