Trail Blazers fire GM Rich Cho
The Portland Trail Blazers sent out a shocker this afternoon as they have fired Rich Cho after working 10 months as Portland’s General Manager. This comes weeks after Cho has made some comments about possibly suspending Brandon Roy for his comments after Game 2 during the 2011 Playoffs. We now know that there was some issues concerning the relationship with Cho and owner Paul Allen as it appears the two didn’t see eye to eye on everything. And when Allen isn’t happy, he gets his wish and that is why Cho is now unemployed.
From the Trail Blazers:
“The Portland Trail Blazers announced today that they have parted ways with Rich Cho, the team’s general manager of basketball operations.
“The fit between Rich and our team simply wasn’t right,” said Trail Blazers President Larry Miller. “This was a tough move because I respect Rich and he’s a good person with many strong skills. But it simply wasn’t a good match.”
Trail Blazers Director of College Scouting Chad Buchanan will serve as acting general manager. Buchanan has been with the team for seven years. Buchanan and Head Coach Nate McMillan will report to Miller until a permanent replacement is hired.
Rich Cho was fired from the Trail Blazers after just ten months
Trail Blazers Owner Paul G. Allen said the move is part of the franchise’s commitment to building a championship contending team. “This decision, as difficult as it was to make, reflects our willingness to admit and recognize that things haven’t worked out,” Allen said. “We’re going to be tough on ourselves in assessing what we could have done better, and then go out and find the executive who is the best fit with the needs of our franchise. That chemistry and connection is critically important.”
This is just another page in the weird and strange saga of what goes on behind-the-scenes in the Trail Blazers front office. Cho was hired a couple of months after Portland fired Kevin Pritchard the night of the 2010 NBA Draft. Cho, who previously worked as the Oklahoma City Thunder GM, made two important moves during his ten months here in Portland, trading guard Jerryd Bayless to New Orleans for draft picks, and recently trading Joel Pryzbilla and Dante Cunningham to Charlotte in exchange for former All-Star Gerald Wallace. Chad Buchanan was one of the those responsible for bringing Wesley Matthews from the Utah Jazz and we will have to wait later in the coming months to see who will lead the Trail Blazers as the new GM. Sources will say that everyone from possibly Terry Porter, to ex-Cleveland GM Danny Ferry, only time will tell at this moment. Paul Allen perhaps?
information courtesy of nba.com/blazers, photo courtesy of nbahorn.com
Nicholas Filipas