Trail Blazers legend Buck Williams will be one of three assistants to join coach Nate McMillan’s staff for the 2010-11 season, McMillan said Wednesday.

Williams will join Bernie Bickerstaff and Bob Ociepka as new additions, with an official announcement coming early next week.

I’m going to reserve judgement on the latter two, particularly because I haven’t heard or read many strong opinions on either recently — that could be both good and bad — but I see no problems with Williams essentially being the big-man replacement for Maurice Lucas on staff, even if it’s in part a PR move. The Blazers have been painfully lacking in experienced big bodies in Lucas’ absence to help guys like LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden, so any addition in that area is a plus.

Blazers having “ongoing conversations” with free agent guard Roger Mason according to agent Mark Bartelstein. “We’ve talked quite a bit.”

Mason certainly fits the shooter profile the Blazers have been after, as a 38.1 percent career shooter from three, but even when he peaked in 2008-09 with the Spurs — 30 minutes, 11.8 points, 42 percent from three, 42.5 percent from the field, three rebounds, two assists — he still only managed a below-average PER of 11.9 (career high 13.8 in fewer minutes the year before in Washington) with poor-to-average defense. Essentially, he’s only going to make an impact as a shooter and possibly late in games on the free-throw line.

Trail Blazers general manager has been fired by owner Paul Allen, less than an hour before the 2010 NBA Draft was set to begin.

A source close to Pritchard said Allen informed the popular general manager that Thursday would be his last day of work, which will include conducting the Blazers draft.

Quick has a video up on OregonLive talking about the firing.

UPDATE: Adrian Wojnarowski tweets:

Paul Allen will discover Blazers GM job isn’t nearly as attractive as he believes it is. Especially now, no elite GM wants to touch it.

From Brian T. Smith on Twitter:

Sources say search firm hired by Blazers has interviewed Spurs’ Buford, ex-Cavs’ Ferry and Thunder’s Presti while Pritchard held job.

From Ken Berger of CBS Sports:

As for the gaping hole left in the Portland front office by Pritchard’s classless dismissal, the question becomes: Who would want to work for a franchise that treats its people the way the Blazers have treated Pritchard and Penn? The lure of the Blazers’ roster and rabid fan base will be a huge calling card for any potential candidate, but buyer beware. Apparently, the money isn’t great, either. One of the points of contention that led to Pritchard’s ouster was his displeasure with his approximately $1 million salary — not much more than assistant GMs make in other cities and a quarter of coach Nate McMillan’s compensation.

According to a person familiar with the Blazers’ internal dynamics, one option would be to appoint team president Larry Miller, head of the team’s business operations, to serve as the figurehead replacement for Pritchard and hire a competent No. 2 to handle the day-to-day basketball decisions.