Neil Olshey leaves Clippers for GM job in Portland

Neil Olshey will become the general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers, after he backed out of an agreement in principle to a contract with the Clippers.

The Clippers announced Monday afternoon they have mutually agreed to end discussions and part ways with Olshey.

Olshey, now the Clippers’ former vice president of basketball operations, never signed a new contract with the Clippers.

Clippers President Andy Roeser has already begun the search for a general manger to succeed Olshey, the team said Monday.

The Clippers said Coach Vinny Del Negro, director of player personnel Gary Sacks and Roeser will handle all of team’s responsibilities in regard to basketball operations as the team looks for a new general manager.

Olshey had interviewed recently with Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen in London, and Olshey also interviewed for the GM position last year in Portland.

It is apparent Olshey, who worked all of last season without a contract with the Clippers, decided to shun the Clippers and move on to Portland.

Olshey had been given credit as the architect who put together a Clippers team that went 40-26 last season and had the best winning percentage (60.6) in franchise history.

He had acquired Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups, Caron Butler, Reggie Evans, Nick Young and Kenyon Martin and re-signed center DeAndre Jordan after he signed an offer sheet with the Golden State Warriors.

But it wasn’t enough to keep Olshey around.

ALSO:

NASCAR suspends Kurt Busch for verbally abusing reporter

NFL to train replacement officials due to possible labor impasse

Amir Khan riled up by opponent Danny Garcia’s vocal father/trainer