Rip City Project
Fansided

Should Terry Stotts or Neil Olshey shoulder the blame?

By Nate Mann

PORTLAND, OR - JULY 7: General Manager Neil Olshey, Evan Turner, and Head Coach Terry Stotts of the Portland Trail Blazers pose for a photo during Turner's media introduction July 7, 2016 at the Trail Blazer Practice Facility in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - JULY 7: General Manager Neil Olshey, Evan Turner, and Head Coach Terry Stotts of the Portland Trail Blazers pose for a photo during Turner's media introduction July 7, 2016 at the Trail Blazer Practice Facility in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Portland Trail Blazers five-game losing streak made fans want to blame someone for the sudden drop off. Two names emerged as primary scapegoats, Neil Olshey and Terry Stotts.

Neil Olshey is the current general manager for the Portland Trail Blazers. He left the Los Angeles Clippers in 2012 and has been key in forming the Blazers Big Three. This offseason, Portland extended Olshey’s contract until 2021, the final two years being options.

Terry Stotts joined Portland in 2012 as well. After winning a championship as assistant coach in Dallas, Stotts headed West for a promotion. In all but his debut season, the Blazers have made the playoffs.

Most notably from the current Stotts-era is his skip over the rebuild stage. Four of five starters didn’t return to the team, but the head coach kept Portland competitive and they won 44 games, earning a trip to the Western Conference Semifinals.

With both being blamed for the mediocre 2018 season, a couple Rip City Project contributors decided to share their thoughts on the matter. Hint: there’s overwhelming blame on one of them.