Source: oregonlive.com
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 the 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…
The post Canzano: Lakers mess may soon involve, but not distract, the Trail Blazers appeared first on FeedBox.