Mar 15, 2018; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers general manager Neil Olshey shares a laugh with guard Damian Lillard (0) before game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Things aren’t good in the Portland Trail Blazers community at the moment. After an early playoff exit, the departure of long-time coach Terry Stotts, and then Neil Olshey’s strange 2020 exit interview, the first few weeks after the season finished weren’t great.
Fast forward another week or two, and it seemed like things were looking up. Controversial coaching candidate Jason Kidd took himself out of the running as Stotts replacement, and excellent options Becky Hammon, Jeff Van Gundy, and Mike D’Antoni were mentioned.