Chauncey Billups met with the media prior to Saturday night’s game between his Portland Trail Blazers and the Boston Celtics and of course fielded questions about Friday’s firing of Neil Olshey, former president of basketball operations, for workplace misconduct.
Billups, hired by Olshey in June, said Friday became a tough day at the team’s practice facility in Tualatin as the news broke in the morning while the coaching staff prepared for practice.
“Naturally, with the investigation going on, people were kind of anticipating what might happen,” Billups said. “But it finally came down. It’s tough because I just felt like this organization is going through so much change.”
Billups replaced Terry Stotts over the summer. Days after news came out that the Blazers had hired the Los Angeles-based law firm O’Melveny & Myers to investigate allegations that Olshey created a hostile work environment, franchise president and CEO, Chris McGowan, stepped down. He was replaced by Dewayne Hankins.
“It’s just a ton of change,” Billups said.
But the change hasn’t distracted him from his job, Billups said.
“I kind of just stick to the task at hand,” he said. “I’ve got a locker room in there of guys that I had to try to lead, do the best job that I can and keep them focused on the task as well.”
The Blazers players, Billups said, also didn’t allow the investigation to become a distraction.
“I don’t think the situation with Neil was a distraction at all,” Billups said. “Not even a little bit. Obviously, I’ve got my finger on it. Never hear guys talking about it. Discussing it. I don’t think it was a distraction. No.”
Joe Cronin, who is in his 16th season with the Blazers, was named interim general manager while the franchise conducts a search for Olshey’s replacement.
Billups, who signed a five-year contract with the Blazers with four years guaranteed, said he hopes to be consulted regarding the search for a permanent general manager.
“I hope to be considered in whoever the next person is,” Billups said.
Maybe, Billups said, that person could be Cronin.
“I’m very much looking forward to really building with Joe,” Billups said. “In all honesty, right now, Joe’s the man. And I’m not going to overlook that. I don’t think any of us should, and respect his position. He’s been in the game quite a long time. He’s very well thought of by so many people. And I think that Joe is as qualified as most people at it. It’s easy to just kind of jump over that and look for the next move, but I think right now, Joe is the next move.”
Billups, who was offered an executive position with Cleveland in 2017, said he has no interest in becoming coach and general manager.
“I’m trying to figure this one job out first. That’s a handful,” he said. “I’ve got too much to learn here to be thinking about taking over and doing both jobs. I feel like my learning curve is going pretty good here. Getting to know a lot of things. I want to stick to this one.”
Billups didn’t only lose an executive who hired him. He lost someone who he called a friend. Olshey, while with the Los Angeles Clippers, claimed Billups off amnesty and brought him to his team in December 2011. The following summer, Olshey became the general manager of the Blazers. The two remained close.
“I’m forever thankful and grateful for Neil, for giving me this opportunity,” Billups said. “He’s seen something in me from a long time ago that honestly, a lot of people probably saw in me. But he had the courage to actually make the move and give me the keys to the team. So, I’m very thankful for that. I wish him the most success and luck in his future. And I’m pretty sure at some point, he’ll land on his feet. And we’ll see him back doing what he loves to do.”
-- Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook).
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