A few weeks back, the Portland Trail Blazers were the face of a model NBA franchise: deep pocketed owner (Paul Allen), a general manager that is the envy of the league (Kevin Pritchard), boy genius assistant (Tom Penn), loyal coach (Nate McMillan), and one of the most promising lineups around. But the cracks began to show early last week when the team suddenly fired Penn for reasons that are still not clear.
As executives of Vulcan Inc. discussed the pros and cons of firing Portland Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard last summer, the discussion found its way to this conclusion: Pritchard had proven to be a solid senior-level scout, but largely incapable of running the organization.
Vulcan, the Blazers’ parent company, had watched Pritchard embark upon several selfish and destructive bents, and strong sentiment existed to fire him. Owner Paul Allen and the Vulcan executives no longer trusted him to put the franchise before his own ambitions. The list of transgressions that troubled Vulcan always came back to similar themes: Pritchard’s thirst for public adulation, money and power.
Adrian Wojnarowski’s column was the most damaging blow to the eternal workings of the Portland Trail Blazers since the contentious “Jail Blazers” era nearly sank the entire franchise. Pritchard, the face of the team’s rebuilding effort and the man pulling the strings on countless draft deal steals (Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Fernandez, Nicolas Batum), and one less-than-stellar deal (Greg Oden instead of Kevin Durant), previously seemed to to be the most untouchable front office employee in the entire league. But after Penn’s firing, a week of rumors, and then Wojnarowski’s piece, the team’s hand was forced into calling a last-minute press conference at their Tualatin practice facilities.
A noticeable somber Pritchard spoke in hushed tones about his very uncertain future with the team. When asked if he was being fired, he softly replied, “I don’t know that.” It was the same reply when asked repeatedly about his future. In typical fashion he tried to speak positively about ownership (“I do believe we have the best owner in sports”) and the team’s future (“We want to win, we want to win on the highest level”), but it’s very clear that something is not right in the Blazers’ organization.
More updates after the jump.
Given this team’s delicate handling of affairs off the court, it seems less likely that this recent bombshell is a contract negotiating ploy from the Blazers front office, and instead a real crack in their foundation. Portland wanted a General Manger who could turn the franchise around, and got just that in Pritchard (and his confidant, Penn). While Pritchard is the closest thing the NBA has to a rockstar GM—and if the accusations are true in the Wojnarowski piece—he has outgrown an organization that believes GM’s should be seen but not heard. But if this very poorly timed incident (with the season still going and the playoffs weeks away) emerged from the office of Paul Allen, or team President Larry Miller, it’s a sign that this franchise is damaged in ways few could have ever predicted.
Even when Pritchard admits that he will not “look over my shoulder” for the remainder of the season, it’s easy to get the impression that unless some major changes occur in his relationship with the team, the Blazers just began the process of severing ties with one of the best general managers in basketball. It’s a shame.
That Wojnarowski column was completely insane. Insane as in, “I can’t believe the gall it took for the Blazers front office to go to him with those quotes.” Because that’s what that piece is–basically an unsourced interview with Larry Miller or one of his deputies. And Pritchard has to know that.
The whole article had such a petty feel to it, like they had just been sitting on a laundry list of “things we hate about K.P.” for years, and finally felt like they should dish it to some writer. “Oh, yeah, and then he asks people in the league how much they make.” (Is that weird, to try to find out what your peers make? I’ve been doing that for about a week myself.) “Oh, yeah, and then there was the time he gave himself a 5 on the 12th hole up in Seattle, and we all knew he got a 6! OMG!” Really, really absurd tone to that piece.
Very petty, very juvenile–to me it feels like Miller and his guys are trying to raise a huge stink about this in the press so that Pritchard resigns.
“Very poorly timed incident” indeed. Eek.
What a weird column. Not a single named source from any of the quotes. WTF? So it’s basically a slander piece on KP? There’s zero “journalistic integrity” in the entire column!
For all anyone knows, that whole piece was hearsay and there’s absolutely nothing wrong whatsoever between KP and Vulcan.
What a weird column…
“But if this very poorly timed incident (with the season still going and the playoffs weeks away) emerged from the office of Paul Allen, or team President Larry Miller, it’s a sign that this franchise is damaged in ways few could have ever predicted.”
Oh come on, Ezra, OF COURSE it’s from Miller! Well, it’s either from Miller directly, or, more likely, from someone authorized to speak on his behalf. There’s no way anyone under Miller would release such damaging info without clearing it with him first.
Portland would be a much better city and have a much better franchise if it would quit hating on it’s own in the press. There’s no need for it, and it shows a disrespect to the city and the wonderful fans that live here and abroad. Go Blazers!
So suprising…. Paul gets sick and the Vulcan egos come down from Seattle to fuck things up errr I mean help the business side of things. Paul probably played a part too given his own ego and temper issues. Pritchard is my favorite guy in the entire organization. Sickening to see hi
treated this way. Will the next hot stuff gm/coach/player really want to come here and be treated so poorly?
Miller must smell blood in the water and want to bring in his own guy. I’ve never ever been big on Miller as President. Can’t put my finger on why he rubs me wrong. Anyone have ideas about Miller, in general…?
I don’t think Miller’s that popular in the league either. Remember his hilarious “don’t sign Darius Miles or we will sue you” letter that the league basically laughed off?
Dave – That was a jooooke. He threatened the entire NBA and thought someone wouldn’t call his bluff? I know Pritchard has another GM job by august if he gets fired (god forbid!). Miller might get lucky but I doubt it.
Wojnarowski has written a lot worse about KP in the past.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-m…
Pritchard’s agent already took the gloves off pretty hard though, so I don’t think it really reflects so terribly on Vulcan if they chose to fight back by whispering in the ear of a sympathetic journalist. It’s just that it reflects terribly on them that the situation exists at all.
was that photo taken with a pinhole camera?
Firing Tom Penn was a foolish move by the organization…Tom Penn helped the Blazers to be an improved team with growing respect on and off the court…he is a professional and well liked around the league for his abilities…finding good people to fill leadership roles at any company is a difficult – and it is the most important job for the owner…when someone like Tom Penn is tossed aside, it sends a message internally and and to the league that the Blazers are not running a professional business…and to add to the problems, his replacement will most likely be less capable – this will hurt the organization further…I understand that the Blazers are bigger than any one employee – but bad decisions like firing Tom Penn will hurt the Blazers down the road…by the way, watch where Tom Penn lands and watch him perform the next couple years…he will prove that firing him was a mistake – he is an over achiever who will help his next team to compete for the NBA crown…danO
These are the people who want to tear down Memorial Coliseum.