ChrisHaynes, CSNNW.com Trail Blazers Insider (@ChrisBHaynes)
NeilOlshey agreed to terms to remain the Los Angeles Clippers' generalmanager on Friday, leaving the Portland Trail Blazers with threefinalist for their opening Indiana's general managerDavid Morway, Philadelphias assistant general manager Tony DiLeo,and former New Orleans' general manger Jeff Bower.
Aperson close to the situation says Trail Blazers' owner, Paul Allen,is concerned with Morway's character and finds that he reminds him ofa Kevin Pritchard 2.0 and DiLeo's lack of experience being incharge is worrisome.
Morwayis at the bottom of the list, according to multiple sources.
Thatleaves Bower who happens to be the most experienced candidate outof the finalist and would appear to be the logical choice.
However,those that know Allen, have said he prefers that his general managersberemain in good physical shape and Bower doesn't fit that criteria.
Here'swhere things get interesting.
Multipleleague sources have told CSNNW.com they don't think either of thethree candidates will get the job and they say Trail Blazers' actinggeneral manager, Chad Buchanan, has become an option again.
TrailBlazers' president, Larry Miller, told CSNNW.com, Buchanan wouldn'tnecessarily have to interview for the general manager position ifthey decided to hand the job to him because they feel they have agrasp of what Buchanan is capable of.
TheTrail Blazers' draft picks: I'm hearing the Trail Blazers areleaning towards keeping their No. 6 and No. 11 picks in the 2012 NBAdraft.
TheTrail Blazers' next head coach: Trail Blazers interim head coach,Kaleb Canales, has come on strong as the favorite to secure theirhead coaching vacancy, according to a source.
Thethinking is, if the Trail Blazers aren't going to be competing for achampionship anytime soon and if they're going to hold on to theirtwo lottery picks, Canales, 34, is being viewed as the perfectguy to take over the young Trail Blazer roster.
IndianaPacers' assistant coach, Brian Shaw, has interest in the TrailBlazers head coaching vacancy, according to a source with knowledgeof his thinking and Golden State Warriors' assistant coach, MikeMalone, has interest as well.
CSNNW.comis being told the Trail Blazers will still conduct a head coachingsearch.
Whatdoes this all mean?
Itmeans there's a chance that there isn't much change in the TrailBlazers' front office or on the sideline.
TheTrail Blazers struck out on some of their key general manager targetsfor various reasons and they haven't been blown away with who they'veinterviewed. They could still end up selecting out of the threefinalist just to bring some closure, but the word is they'reperplexed during this decision-making process.
