8:48 AM
NBA general managers are working to create a professional association that will support executives with access to legal defense funds, lawyer referrals and public relations professionals, according to sources.
The league's GMs formed a steering committee to create a constitution, opened an entity and told the league office of their intentions to form a group like the National Basketball Coaches Association, sources said.
The situation with the Portland Trail blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey has convinced front-office executives of the need for such an association.
Dozens of executives told ESPN that Portland's internal probe has made them fear that organizations can make decisions to fire top basketball executives for any number of traditional reasons, including team performance, personality conflicts, differing philosophies, and search simultaneously for ways to pursue "cause" violations in contracts.
Many top team basketball executives are worried that Portland is creating a template for other ownership groups to invoke firing for cause and sidestep payment of contracts because of declining revenues and dwindling attendance.
The law firm O'Melveny & Myers was hired to conduct a fair and independent review after a complaint was raised to the organization's human resources department.
Dozens of former and current employees of Olshey have been interviewed by the firm.
According to sources, the NBA has not received any calls about workplace complaints against Olshey in his nine years as the Trail blazers' president. The human resources department of the Blazers did not receive any complaints about Olshey until recently.
Olshey signed a three-year contract extension in 2019. The season began in the year 2021. After nine seasons with the LA Clippers, Olshey was hired by the Portland Trail blazers in 2012 and has signed two extensions.
Jody Allen, the owner of the Portland Trail blazers, made a mention of the team's culture under Olshey when the team announced their extension in May 2019.
The longest active streak in the NBA is the eight straight seasons the Portland Trail blazers have reached the playoffs. The organization and Olshey were criticized for not being transparent about the research they did before hiring Chauncey Billups, who was accused of rape in 1997. The team commissioned an independent investigation, but they didn't give any details of that investigation.
Olshey hasn't commented on the current probe into Portland's workplace environment. Olshey has continued to run the team while the investigation is ongoing. The league believes that Olshey's job and contract are in jeopardy after the HR complaint was elevated to the hiring of an outside firm.
Damian Lillard has shot a career-low 38.4% from the field and averaged his lowest points per game since his freshman year as Portland is 8-8 to start the season. Over the summer, he expressed his frustration at the team's lack of playoff success, but has since affirmed his commitment to the franchise.
The firing of Olshey's contract was set up by the unleashing of terms like toxic environment and hostile workplace into the media as a campaign to cause a firing for cause. That's something that worries rival executives and has made it more urgent to finish an association that could help support front-office executives in situations like the one unfolding in Portland.
