Should Terry Stotts or Neil Olshey shoulder the blame?

By Nate Mann | Dec 16, 2017

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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Matt George Moore

The Portland Trail Blazers have been maddeningly inconsistent this season. I blame general manager Neil Olshey, not head coach Terry Stotts, for this development.

Olshey deserves credit for drafting Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, two of the most dynamic backcourt players in the Association. But he also deserves criticism – if not straight-up ridicule – for saddling the Blazers with Evan Turner, Meyers Leonard and Maurice Harkless and their hefty-hefty-hefty contracts. Throwing money at these three left Portland with little salary flexibility and, therefore, few options to get better via trades and acquisitions.

Turner? Shooting 39.6% from the field, including a truly dreadful 19% from three. (Not a big shock to anyone, except maybe Olshey.)

Leonard? A big-for-nothing big with zero feel for the game. (He hasn’t blocked a single shot all season.)

And Harkless? Well, Harkless’ poor performance is truly surprising. I have no idea what happened to Moe Harkless. (But I’m gonna blame Olshey for that one, too.)

Olshey’s job was to field a team that would fit Stotts’ system. He failed.