HoopsHype.com Rumors

Chad Buchanan: In a best case scenario down the road, [Blazers GM] Neil [Olshey] has talked a lot about Chauncey Billups for Damian (Lillard). I think there are some similarities between those two guys and their temperament. Good pick and roll players. Not elite athletes but good enough athletes. Blazers Edge

Portland Trail Blazers, Neil Olshey, Chad Buchanan, Chauncey Billups, Damian Lillard 

Chris Haynes: A little/a lot off topic: #Blazers Chad Buchanan confirms @Dwight Jaynes report on Nicolas Batum's 15% trade kicker. Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, Chad Buchanan, Nicolas Batum 

Chris Haynes: If Batum traded, the #Blazers must pay Batum 15% of what's left on deal. But Buchanan says they can negotiate w/trading team on who pays it. Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, Chad Buchanan, Nicolas Batum 

Batum and his agent met with Trail Blazers general manger Neil Olshey, director of college scouting Chad Buchanan, and capologist Joe Cronin on Thursday in an attempt to convince the organization to set him free after they had a pleasant Minnesota visit. CSNNW.com

Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Free Agency, Neil Olshey, Chad Buchanan, Nicolas Batum, Joe Cronin, Bouna Ndiaye 

Jason Quick: A couple of weeks ago, Blazers director of college scouting Chad Buchanan said the Blazers "never" promise a player they will draft him. Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, Draft, Chad Buchanan 

Olshey said he is “open to anything” in terms of retaining members of the current Blazer management staff, including Buchanan (director of college scouting), Mike Born (director of NBA scouting) and assistant GMs Bill Branch and Steve Rosenberry. Olshey is scheduled to leave on a Wednesday morning flight to Chicago to join the others at the pre-draft camp there. “They are all really good guys,” Olshey said. “All I said to them was, ‘We’re working together. Don’t make this seem like an audition process, like you’re being evaluated. Create work product, share in the vision we’re trying to establish and all those other things will take care of themselves.’ Portland Tribune

Portland Trail Blazers, Paul Allen, Neil Olshey, Chad Buchanan 

Blazers GM Neil Olshey on Chad Buchanan and Kaleb Canales: "If Chad [Buchanan] wants to be part of the future of the franchise, that's something I'm open to... He's someone I think highly of." On Canales: "He's the in-house favorite... At the end of the day, I don't see anyone bringing more to the table than Kaleb Canales but we're going to undergo a process to figure that out." Sulia

Portland Trail Blazers, Coaching, Neil Olshey, Chad Buchanan, Kaleb Canales 

Chris Haynes: Larry Miller says Chad Buchanan is still someone they would like to be part of this organization. Says Olshey has a lot of respect for him. Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, Larry Miller, Neil Olshey, Chad Buchanan 

Jason Quick: Chad Buchanan, Blazers dir. of college scouting, says he hasn't spoken w/new GM Olshey: "I don't have any idea if he will want to keep me.'' Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, Neil Olshey, Chad Buchanan 

It is unknown whether Olshey will keep the Blazers' current basketball operations staff, which includes Chad Buchanan, who served as acting general manager for the past year. Most of the staff is under contract through June 2014, including Buchanan, the team's director of college scouting; Mike Born, director of NBA scouting; and assistant general managers Bill Branch and Steve Rosenberry. Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Neil Olshey, Chad Buchanan 

Multiple league sources have told CSNNW.com they don't think either of the three candidates will get the job and they say Trail Blazers' acting general manager, Chad Buchanan, “has become an option again.” CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Chad Buchanan 

Trail Blazers' president, Larry Miller, told CSNNW.com, Buchanan wouldn't necessarily have to interview for the general manager position if they decided to hand the job to him because they feel they have a grasp of what Buchanan is capable of. CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Larry Miller, Chad Buchanan 

That feels like vanilla, and vanilla bean... I'm convinced that the longer this drags out the better chance that Chad Buchanan has of landing the job. I called some scouts who are in Minnesota this week for the pre-draft festivities and they tell me the Blazers search is all the buzz. As in, "Do they know what they're doing here?!?!" Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Chad Buchanan 

It's become evident in the past 24 hours there's considerable division among the lieutenants who advise Blazers owner Paul Allen. And maybe this happens at other places, but it appears that the fracture may have caused this search to take a step sideways and now the only good move for the Blazers is to promote interim GM Chad Buchanan and call it a year. Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Paul Allen, Chad Buchanan 

But one source close to the situation said to not dismiss the idea that interim GM Chad Buchanan could remain in charge, especially if Blazers owner Paul Allen loses his preferred replacement to Orlando. Buchanan has done good work since taking over for the fired Cho more than a year ago (aside from drafting Nolan Smith at No. 21 last year when Denver's Kenneth Faried was still available), and appears to be in Allen's good graces. I'm hearing this search could conclude next week, if not sooner. SI.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Paul Allen, Chad Buchanan 

Chad Buchanan, the Blazers’ director of college scouting who has served as interim GM for more than a year, is a fallback choice. “If we end up not hiring one of these three (finalists), or if somebody else doesn’t surface that we don’t know about now, we’d move Chad into the role,” Miller said. Portland Tribune

Portland Trail Blazers, Chad Buchanan 

The minor leagues are returning to Portland. Well, sort of. The Trail Blazers and NBA Development League affiliate Idaho Stampede announced a “hybrid” partnership Tuesday, giving the Blazers full control over all basketball operations of the minor league basketball team. The move, which makes the Stampede the sole affiliate of the Blazers, establishes a Major League Baseball-like farm system in which the Blazers pick the coaching staff, select the player roster and run all basketball aspects of the team. “You’re trying to win games at that level, but ultimately you’re trying to develop talent,” Blazers interim general manager Chad Buchanan said. “I think this a great opportunity to groom and work with some young players and young coaches.” Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Chad Buchanan 

This past weekend, (Blazers) interim general manager Chad Buchanan, assistant general managers Bill Branch and Steve Rosenberry and director of NBA scouting Mike Born joined front office staffs from around the league in New Jersey for a two-day workout featuring draft eligible player TrailBlazers.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Draft, Chad Buchanan 

"There were a couple guys who made a good impression on us, guys we liked during the year and were kind of reaffirmed that at the workout," said Buchanan. "How they performed kind of backed up what we felt from them during the season. So there were a few guys who distinguished themselves, at least in our eyes." TrailBlazers.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Draft, Chad Buchanan 

Former New Orleans GM and coach Jeff Bower and current Indiana GM David Morway are the two who have already interviewed. Bower met with Miller and Bert Kolde, the Blazers’ director of the board of directors, in Seattle, then interviewed with Allen in New Orleans (the Blazer owner happened to be there for a music festival). Morway met with Miller and Kolde in Indianapolis, then flew to Seattle for a get-together with Allen. Miller says Bower and Morway are still being considered for the job, along with Chad Buchanan, the director of college scouting who is handling the post on an interim basis. Portland Tribune

Portland Trail Blazers, Chad Buchanan, Jeff Bower, David Morway