Knicks GM Scott Perry has been named as a potential successor to Blazers President Neil Olshey following the latter’s dismissal on Friday.
The Portland Trail Blazers dismissed long-time team president Neil Olshey on Friday, December 3rd after a month-long investigation into allegations of the basketball executive’s poor workplace environment following complaints filed. With a vacancy at the highest level of an NBA franchise, several names have been reported to fill the Blazers president role.
Knicks general manager Scott Perry has been tapped by Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes as a potential successor to Olshey, who held the Blazers gig since 2012. Perry, 58, has been GM of the Knicks since June 2017, first serving under Knicks president Steve Mills until team chairman and owner James Dolan hired former CAA sports agent Leon Rose to run basketball operations.
Haynes also names Bulls GM Marc Eversley as a potential candidate for the president job with Portland, currently seated by interim GM Jon Cronin.
Perry joined the Knicks in 2017 after an executive career with the Detroit Pistons, Seattle SuperSonics, Orlando Magic, and Sacramento Kings. Perry joined forces with Rose and new front-office additions two summers ago in Brock Aller, Walt Perrin, and Frank Zanin as New York’s brain trust, as the Mills hire stayed on board amid the front office turnover and agreed to a new contract in July of 2021.
Olshey leaves a job following eight straight playoff appearances for the Blazers. The ex-Portland executive had several complaints pop up regarding a “toxic workplace,” including bullying tactics and profanity, per Yahoo Sports.
The Knicks are seemingly in a position to see Perry leave the organization; his former colleagues and ex-boss no longer work with him and Knicks president Leon Rose has groomed a group of basketball minds that helped the franchise reach the postseason in 2021 for the first time since the 2012–13 season. Perry has overseen basketball operations stretching back to trading Carmelo Anthony, drafting Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, and Immanuel Quickley, and the 2021 class. Perry also brought in veterans to New York during his time as GM. Some names include Marcus Morris, Julius Randle, Taj Gibson, Bobby Portis, Elfrid Payton, Reggie Bullock, Wayne Ellington, and Alec Burks. Perry also hired (and fired) David Fizdale and last year’s Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau.
Should Scott Perry win the Blazers president job, he will leave the Knicks in a far different position than the disruptive, post–Phil Jackson era he entered more than four years ago, as the Knicks look to reach back-to-back playoff berths led by All-Star Julius Randle.
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