Kevin Pritchard fired as Trail Blazers general manager

[tdunk21]

Trail Blazers general manager has been fired by owner Paul Allen, less than an hour before the 2010 NBA Draft was set to begin.

A source close to Pritchard said Allen informed the popular general manager that Thursday would be his last day of work, which will include conducting the Blazers draft.

Pritchard is under contract through the 2010-2011 season.

It is unknown why Pritchard has fallen out of favor with Allen, but Thursday's decision was predicted in March by Pritchard's agent, Warren LeGarie, after Pritchard's right hand man, Tom Penn was fired.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/06/kevin_pritchard_fired_as_trail.html

[benefactor]

rofl

[angelbelow]

lol

[TimDunkem]

crofl

[tdunk21]

i could see some happy faces on ST

[cd98]

Crazy because he is one of the best GMs (he was trained by Spurs).

[angelbelow]

haha i seriously just laughed out loud

[edgar]

Great...bring 'em back to S.A

:toast

[DPG21920]

So you fire a guy, and then make him pick for you?

[scottspurs]

:lmao:rollin:lmao

[MannyIsGod]

So you fire a guy, and then make him pick for you?

I didn't get that either. He can't possibly expect him to do that.

[alchemist]

hope he trades for z-bo or does some dumb shit on his way out.

[Juanobili]

Why the fuck would you let the guy you just fired pick for you?

[Thompson]

Kevin, if you want to be the Spurs' GM-in-waiting, give us all of the Blazers' picks for a future top 59 protected 2nd rounder, and come on down. Go ahead and throw in every other year's first rounder for the next century.

[silverblk mystix]

if I was Pricktard I would draft a couple of injury prone players just for shits & giggles :lmao

[TimDunkem]

chadfordinsider (http://twitter.com/chadfordinsider)
Pritchard will still be running the draft per Quick. He should select Omar Samhan at 22 before Paul Allen can stop him.

Agreed. :lol

[timvp]

GTFO.

Darius Miles curse,

[angelbelow]

if I was Pricktard I would draft a couple of injury prone players just for shits & giggles :lmao

:lol

[Mel_13]

:lmao

This definitely qualifies as an issue.

[benefactor]

GTFO.

Darius Miles curse,
:tu

The basketball gods are not to be mocked.

[hsxvvd]

07:42 PM: RUMOR: The Columbian's Brian T. Smith reports that the Blazers interviewed both R.C. Buford and Sam Presti.

Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/src_draftnight_2010.php?1277423128171#ixzz0rojjERV 4

[jesterbobman]

Could we negotiate for them to have the right to pilfer RC, ala Miami getting 2nd round pick(s)? from Orlando for SVG. Say, Jefferson and RC for Roy?

[Spurs Brazil]

:lol :lol :lol

[Spurs Brazil]

Paul Allen will discover Blazers GM job isn't nearly as attractive as he believes it is. Especially now, no elite GM wants to touch it

http://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA

[bigdog]

LOL hilarious. I hope he drafts some unknown scrub with nagging injuries on his way out.

[MannyIsGod]

It really is a pretty dick move to fire someone like this. I don't understand why he would do that. Who wants to work for a dick like that?

[Russ]

Yessss, and it counts . . .

Kevin Durant just keeps on scoring . . .

[smrattler]

With the 22nd pick... ladies and gentlemen, this just handed to me... we have a trade.

Blazers trade Kevin Durant and send cash to the San Antonio Spurs for Richard Jefferson.

No pick submitted on time either, so, Minnesota is on the clock now.

(EDIT: I meant LaMarcus Aldridge, not Durant obviously... fail!)

[timtonymanu]

Good riddance, douchebag.

[MannyIsGod]

With the 22nd pick... ladies and gentlemen, this just handed to me... we have a trade.

Blazers trade Kevin Durant and send cash to the San Antonio Spurs for Richard Jefferson.

No pick submitted on time either, so, Minnesota is on the clock now.

Blazers are now trading other teams players. Sweet.

[smrattler]

Blazers are now trading other teams players. Sweet.


Awww!!!!!

I meant LaMarcus Aldridge!!!! Texas guys... young... we're talking a lot of basketball over here!

Shame.... shame... could have been a nice post. :depressed

[barbacoataco]

I live in Portland and (unfortunately) watch most of the Blazers games. On the one hand:
1. Pritchard has done a good job building the team. Even with all kinds of injuries the Blazers still made the playoffs and salvaged the season. The trade for Camby turned out to be brilliant and a perfect match for the team.
on the other hand
2. It has been like the Blazers are unable to commit to a certain lineup and give all players a definite role. It is like they are always experimenting.

[The Truth #6]

I'd love to see video from their war room.

[Obstructed_View]

Well the Blazers draft looks like a whole lotta fail so far, so they should go back to sucking pretty soon while Pritchard goes somewhere else and builds them a contender.

[Whisky Dog]

The Ghost of Darius Miles is a vengeful bitch.

[SenorSpur]

It couldn't have happened to a nicer prickard!

:lmao

Here's hoping you he ends up on Fox Sports, ESPN or NBATV, until he's learned his lesson.

[EricB]

Come on back to SA KP!

[mudyez]

still dont understand the firing...Pritchard was a top3 GM (Buford, Presti)! This franchise is going down the drain!

[Whisky Dog]

Why do some of you want pritchard back? He's was such an arrogant, crooked ass.

[tdunk21]

still dont understand the firing...Pritchard was a top3 GM (Buford, Presti)! This franchise is going down the drain!

espn analysts say he was fired because the blazers failed to win a playoff series since 2000

[mudyez]

espn analysts say he was fired because the blazers failed to win a playoff series since 2000

then we should fire Buford, coz Manu was injured to much the last few years or fire Presti, coz he tries to build via draft instead of just trading all the pieces for old vets, that can win a series.

Thats just stupid by them!

[bigfan]

I bet he doesnt go long without a job, the guy is a damn good front office type and has good Spurs training.

[Obstructed_View]

Not sure how the GM can do anything more than assemble the talent. Hell, KP managed to swing a trade that saved their season because all their bigs were hurt.

[SenorSpur]

I rag on Pritchard a lot because I do think he is an arrogant prick. However, I have to give him tons of credit for turning around a moribound franchise and building a great culture out there. Obviously, he didn't it alone, but he certainly spearheaded the turnaround.

Too bad the pompous owner became jealous of his "golden child". After reading the articles in the Oregonian, on would almost feel sorry for the prick - ALMOST.

[wut]

I live in Portland and (unfortunately) watch most of the Blazers games.
.
.
.
on the other hand
2. It has been like the Blazers are unable to commit to a certain lineup and give all players a definite role. It is like they are always experimenting.
Right...that's really a Coach issues, not a GM issue. :lol

[Mr. Body]

Jeez. What a way to guarantee running off any top candidates you may have.

[Obstructed_View]

Jeez. What a way to guarantee running off any top candidates you may have.

Being able to throw gigantic gobs of money at people lessens the effects of that.

[ChuckD]

There are multiple facets of the GM's job. In adidtion to being able to scout and obtain talent, you also have to be able to function within the organization, where it appears that Pritchard failed. He rather clumsily helped Tom Penn get a GM offer from Minny last year that forced Portland to give him a hefty raise and a new title, and then apparently left his fingerprints all over the situation. Working against the financial interests of your organization to get your buddy a pay bump isn't going to please too many bosses. Penn was fired suddenly in March, probably when Portland's owner and their President found out what Pritchard had done, and it was pretty much a done deal that Pritch was a goner. Paul Allen was so angry at him that he wouldn't even allow Pritch to sit with him at games near the end of the season.

Tom Penn fired (http://ripcityproject.com/2010/03/16/out-of-the-blue-tom-penn-fired-2/)

[SenorSpur]

There are multiple facets of the GM's job. In adidtion to being able to scout and obtain talent, you also have to be able to function within the organization, where it appears that Pritchard failed. He rather clumsily helped Tom Penn get a GM offer from Minny last year that forced Portland to give him a hefty raise and a new title, and then apparently left his fingerprints all over the situation. Working against the financial interests of your organization to get your buddy a pay bump isn't going to please too many bosses. Penn was fired suddenly in March, probably when Portland's owner and their President found out what Pritchard had done, and it was pretty much a done deal that Pritch was a goner. Paul Allen was so angry at him that he wouldn't even allow Pritch to sit with him at games near the end of the season.

Tom Penn fired (http://ripcityproject.com/2010/03/16/out-of-the-blue-tom-penn-fired-2/)

I remembered reading that story in the Portland paper. In the same article, I understand that Pritchard felt he was underpaid, in accordance to what some other GMs around the NBA were making. It was not beneath him to openly compare and discuss salaries.

I read that he also made a mistake during Brandon Roy's contract negotiations by "cozying up" to Roy and declaring how they were both "underpaid" and how they "needed to get the owner to open up his wallet." If these stories are true, one can see how easy it was for him to fall out of favor with the owner, Paul Allen. Thereby proving once again, what an arrogant ass he was.

You simply cannot kiss your bosses ass in public, yet badmouth him to others, behind his back. and not expect it to get back to him.