Neil Olshey: First Round Loss, Defensive Issues 'Not A Product Of Roster'

[RealGM Wiretap]

Neil Olshey was asked by Jason Quick of The Athletic about his job security running the Portland Trail Blazers amid an offseason of uncertainty for the franchise.

"Well, I'm running the coaching search," said Olshey. "I have multiple years left on my contract. I think the feeling is that in this instance, well in the past there may have been questions, the first round loss and the defensive rating at 29 was not a product of the roster."

While Olshey appeared to blame the playoff loss and defensive struggles on Terry Stotts, he added his job security ultimately depends on how he's viewed by owner Jody Allen.

"I will tell you that all of us, myself included, serve at the pleasure of Jody Allen. And we will all be here for as long as she sees value in our contribution."

Olshey added that Portland's next coach will inherit an elite offensive roster and that the defense needs to improve. 

Via RealGM Staff Report

[Epicurus]

Pure flim flam and scapegoating. Lillard and Stotts deserved a gm who did not make as many roster construction mistakes as Olshey did over the years.

[the_process]

There's no way Olshey should Keep his job. The Blazers have regressed in the past three years. And he has made no big changes to try and stop it. And now he's talking about it's not the rosters fault they can't play defense, which is an absolute joke.

[chipchipperson]

This whole situation just went from sad to pathetic

[IAMZOOTED2]

Don’t think a good GM choice can make a difference? Look at the teams who’ve recently made changes for the better: Nets, Suns, Phila... first thing dude should do is take some accountability

[Rashidi]

Anyone who told you that the Blazers would have the #29 defense after getting Nurkic back and adding Covington/Jones is lying.

Olshey has drafted EXTREMELY well.

2012: Damian Lilard (6th), Meyers Leonard (11th), Will Barton (40th)
2013: CJ McCollum (10th)
2015: Pat Connaughton (41st)
2016: Jake Layman (47th)
2017: Zach Collins (10th)
2018: Anfernee Simons (24th), Gary Trent (37th)

The only real mistakes he's made over the years were matching Allan Crabbe and the dollar amount on Meyers Leonard's contract. Most of his other contracts are great. He signed Nurk to a bargain contract. Put Seth Curry on the map. Re-started Melo's career.

The main area he's struggled is finding players on the margins (outside of the 2nd round). POR is one of two franchises in the league w/o a G-League affiliate, so they aren't developing minor-leaguers. And to be clear: Dame can't profess to having championship aspirations when he's got his cousin on a two-way contract. Teams need to find players on the margins who can contribute.

That is ultimately nitpicking though - Olshey is the architect of this team's core and some disappointing exits don't really change that. Talentwise it ain't like the Blazers are all that far from the Suns.

[arasu]

Anyone who told you that the Blazers would have the #29 defense after getting Nurkic back and adding Covington/Jones is lying.

Olshey has drafted EXTREMELY well.

2012: Damian Lilard (6th), Meyers Leonard (11th), Will Barton (40th)
2013: CJ McCollum (10th)
2015: Pat Connaughton (41st)
2016: Jake Layman (47th)
2017: Zach Collins (10th)
2018: Anfernee Simons (24th), Gary Trent (37th)

The only real mistakes he's made over the years were matching Allan Crabbe and the dollar amount on Meyers Leonard's contract. Most of his other contracts are great. He signed Nurk to a bargain contract. Put Seth Curry on the map. Re-started Melo's career.

The main area he's struggled is finding players on the margins (outside of the 2nd round). POR is one of two franchises in the league w/o a G-League affiliate, so they aren't developing minor-leaguers. And to be clear: Dame can't profess to having championship aspirations when he's got his cousin on a two-way contract. Teams need to find players on the margins who can contribute.

That is ultimately nitpicking though - Olshey is the architect of this team's core and some disappointing exits don't really change that. Talentwise it ain't like the Blazers are all that far from the Suns.

Drafting well is nice, and getting good players on bargain deals can put a smile on an owner's face, but there's much more to putting a contending team together and capitalizing on the rare franchise player. The Blazers haven't done that, and the chance to do so is slipping away, if not too late already.

[kenwood3333]

When you have a owner who doesnt care much about basketball, your job is as safe as it could get.

[Rashidi]

Drafting well is nice, and getting good players on bargain deals can put a smile on an owner's face, but there's much more to putting a contending team together and capitalizing on the rare franchise player. The Blazers haven't done that, and the chance to do so is slipping away, if not too late already.

What "more" were the Blazers supposed to do, pray-tell?

Make garbage moves like the Lakers for half a decade and hope franchise players choose to bail them out of them?

You might as well be saying all 30 GMs are bad at their job if you think Olshey has somehow failed the organization. Short of moving the team to LA or Brooklyn, I doubt you have any clue of what he could/should have done better.

[ShazamDaShiznt]

Very very cheap attempt at getting rid of any responsibility of this mess

He's got an undersized backcourt and two bigs that never played defense in their life. Yes it is a roster issue. Even their small forward is 6ft3 Powell, what kind of mess is that? You don't become great at defense when taller opponents are just shooting all over you.

[arasu]

Drafting well is nice, and getting good players on bargain deals can put a smile on an owner's face, but there's much more to putting a contending team together and capitalizing on the rare franchise player. The Blazers haven't done that, and the chance to do so is slipping away, if not too late already.

What "more" were the Blazers supposed to do, pray-tell?

Make garbage moves like the Lakers for half a decade and hope franchise players choose to bail them out of them?

You might as well be saying all 30 GMs are bad at their job if you think Olshey has somehow failed the organization. Short of moving the team to LA or Brooklyn, I doubt you have any clue of what he could/should have done better.

That 30 GM's comment is a pretty huge leap from what I actually wrote.

Olshey played it safe. While that is the right way to go usually, at some point during the last few years, he should have swung for the fences. He didn't. The Bucks, Hawks, Suns, 76ers, and Rockets are all examples of teams that took big gambles to find the right mix around their franchise players, in recent years, with different degrees of success, despite the lack of rings. And while Lowry isn't a franchise player, the Raptors took a huge gamble to pair him with an injured Kawhi, and they got a championship out of it. There's no guarantees, but when you know your team is right there, but doesn't have enough, you gotta take a bigger risk.