PORTLAND, Ore. — When Damian Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks last month, one storyline that emerged was the reunion with Terry Stotts, his former head coach in Portland who was hired in June as an assistant coach in Milwaukee.
It was a short-lived reunion, though. According to multiple reports, Stotts has decided to step down from his job in Milwaukee. The news was first reported early Thursday morning by Adrian Wojnarowksi of ESPN.
Stotts, 65, was head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers for nine seasons from 2012-2021. He had a winning record in Portland (402-318) and led the Blazers to eight consecutive playoff appearances. Since the trade, Lillard had talked positively about the reunion with Stotts.
"In recent weeks, Lillard had discussed how the transition to Milwaukee was easier for him because many of the sets they were running with the Bucks were things he had already run in Portland with his former coach," reported Eric Nehm, Bucks beat writer for The Athletic.
When Stotts was hired in June, it was to help lead the offense under new Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin, a more defensive-minded coach. On Thursday afternoon, Griffin told Nehm and other reporters he was surprised by Stotts' decision.
"You're going to have to ask Terry," Griffin said, according to Nehm. "He's a great coach. I really enjoyed getting to know him. Terrific person. It was his decision. I just wish him the best."
But according to reporting from Shams Charania of The Athletic, league sources said that the relationship between Stotts and Griffin has been fraught — exemplified by an incident at a shootaround in Oklahoma City on Tuesday where the two appeared to butt heads in front of the team.
76ers hire Neil Olshey as consultant
Former Portland Trail Blazers executive Neil Olshey, who was fired in 2021 for violating the team's code of conduct following an investigation into "concerns around workplace environment," is working in the NBA again.
The Philadelphia 76ers hired Olshey as a consultant this past summer, according to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. He's been with the 76ers since early June and consulted with Philadelphia's front office during the NBA draft and free agency. Neubeck reported that Olshey will "continue operating out of the Pacific Northwest" in his new role.
Olshey was general manager and president of basketball operations for the Blazers from 2012-2021. In November 2021, the Blazers hired an outside firm to investigate Olshey after multiple reports of workplace misconduct. Yahoo Sports reported at the time that employees described a "toxic, hostile work environment where staff members have been subjected to intimidation and profanity-laced tirades, among other bullying tactics." Olshey was fired on Dec. 3, 2021.
RELATED: Portland Trail Blazers fire Neil Olshey for violating the team's code of conduct (December 2021)
Neubeck reported that the 76ers are aware of the details around Olshey's departure from Portland and are "comfortable moving forward with Olshey in the consultant role."
