Notice Canzano: Lakers mess may soon involve, but not distract, the Trail Blazers

https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/...istract-the-trail-blazers.html?outputType=amp



The Trail Blazers have been through some stuff this season.

The owner died. The center broke. The future is uncertain. But at no point have they been reduced to a fragmented mess of an NBA franchise.

They are not the Lakers.

Team President Magic Johnson quit on Tuesday night. Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke wrote, “The Lakers could and should end up in a better place after this decision, but first there will be carnage.”

How does coach Luke Walton survive? What about general manager Rob Pelinka?

Which brings us, of course, to Trail Blazers, Inc.

The Portland franchise deserves a nod today. For finishing as either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed in the West. For being resilient. For holding it together amid some carnage of its own.

None of us can be sure who will even own the Blazers in a year. I’m not even sure who is really running the franchise now. The late Paul Allen’s sister, Jody? Paul’s best friend, Bert Kolde? President & CEO of Vulcan Sports & Entertainment, Chris McGowan?

Some combination?

The events that transpired on Tuesday night in Los Angeles were a good reminder. You want to “BEAT LA!” not “BE LA.”

Which brings us to Portland GM Neil Olshey.

It’s no secret that Olshey fashions himself a Southern California guy. Also, no secret that there’s a lot of uncertainty beyond his current contract in Portland, which expires in 2021. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who has known Olshey a long time, voiced something interesting in the wake of Magic’s exit.

Woj said the Lakers might think about Olshey.

I’ll bet the Portland GM didn’t sleep a wink.

All this comes a week after I’d heard rumblings that Olshey’s camp might be poking around, seeing where New Orleans might turn next. Danny Ferry is running the basketball operations side for the Pelicans on an interim basis after the firing of Dell Demps. And let’s be clear — I don’t blame Olshey one bit, if so.

There is no job security in Portland. Not with ownership up in the air. Also, type-A Olshey has never been a Portland guy. Can you imagine his blood pressure when he realized the Lakers job, a much different challenge than what he’s been faced with in Portland, opened up as a possibility on Tuesday night?

The Lakers. LeBron. All that valet parking.

Dream, job.

Also, I happen to think Olshey might be good at it. In part, because he likes the Southern California glare. He craves the big stage. And I think he’s sought out conflict in Portland at times, quite possibly out of boredom. Also, his mind has to be numb tinkering with small roster moves trying to inch up the standings.

Earlier this season, media covering the team snickered when a note about Olshey appeared in the game notes. It noted that he’d passed 299 victories, “the third executive to count 300 victories at the helm of the Trail Blazers.”

He’s sort of done all he can do in Portland, hasn’t he?

That was underscored nearly a year ago, after the Blazers were swept again in the first round of the playoffs, this time to New Orleans. Olshey showed up in a defensive stance in the exit interview, attempting to “bifurcate” the regular season from the postseason.

It was a silly act. Nobody fell for it. But in the end, when you have no postseason success to show for your work, that’s what you do.

Olshey has made 24 trades since he was hired in the summer of 2012. Nine of them involved “cash." He’s misfired in free agency, overvaluing players, because he often operated from a position of weakness. Can you imagine the thrill he — or frankly any other league GM — would get out of starting in Los Angeles with LeBron and a projected $35 million in cap space?

The Blazers are headed to the playoffs again. They’ll be celebrated, and also, be an underdog. The franchise is playing short-handed and has a 10-game postseason losing streak.

He’ll have to speak to that in a potential job interview.

Portland’s franchise will someday get new ownership. That ownership group will want a coach and general manager it chooses. There’s a ticking clock for what you currently see.

Fans and media will outlast the current franchise regime.

It always does.

From Bob Whitsitt to John Nash to Steve Patterson to Kevin Pritchard to Chad Buchanan to Rich Cho to Olshey. And do you know what the only constant has been?

You and I, pal.

Olshey won’t outlast any of us. That’s the job.

The wreckage in Los Angeles comes as a shock. A reminder of how fragile the trajectory of an NBA franchise can be at times. And while it’s true that Magic Johnson may never have felt like he was truly engaged, the Lakers are one of the league’s tentpole franchises.

The degree of difficulty for the Lakers franchise is far lower than in Portland, and other NBA small markets. The league’s stars (See: Anthony Davis) remind us on an annual basis.

The Lakers may come sniffing around in the coming weeks. If so, Olshey will be interested. But be sure, this won’t be a distraction for the Blazers.

They’ve withstood much heavier stuff already this season.

 

This is Canzano clearly wanting to be back in the good graces of the franchise again...Olshey can't stand the guy. Neil isn't very popular around here but I think he'll stick around until his contract is up. People act like nobody owns the Blazers..fact is..Jody Allen owns the Blazers

 

I could see this happening. Hopefully someone (Jody? Chris M? Bert?) has a contingency plan in place for a replacement if this comes to pass. I fear they don’t and it may handcuff the organization for at least a couple of years until this ownership mess is sorted out.

 

"You and I"????

Urgent plea to John Canzano:

Learn grammar.

Then quit.

 

I just don't believe Paul Allen was a guy to leave a mess concerning the Blazers...he didn't get his success by not making contingency plans..I'm sure Jody has a clear blueprint...if she sells the team, I'm sure it'll be done right.

 

If they decide to go the cheap route, they could just use S2.

Should we trade CJ? There's a poll for that.

 

I just can't believe he didn't leave the Blazers to S2 in his Will.

I demand an investigation.

 

This could be a blessing, I bet a new GMs first move would be breaking up this backcourt, especially if we get swept again.

 

Canzano bashing aside. Zach Lowe said the same thing about Olshey and LA potentially pursuing him in his podcast today (as well as uncertainty about our ownership). There's legs to this.

I would welcome a change.

As long as Dame/Nurk are here, everyone else can go.

 

I hope you’re right!

 

Why is he telling Job to dream? And why didn't he capitalize his name?

You and I? You and I!?! FFS.

And those I just picked up on a quick skim (I can't bring myself to actually read his shit). I'm sure there are plenty of other errors that didn't immediately jump out.

 

The other blessing would be watching Neil surround LBJ with players like Dorrell Wright, Ed Davis, Aminu, Hawes, Greg Monroe, Turner, Stauskas, etc.

 

Hahaha

 

Canzano is a clown, but my first thought when Magic stepped down was Olshey was going to L.A.