Portland Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey is under an independent investigation commissioned by the team into allegations of workplace misconduct, a source confirmed to ESPN on Saturday.
In a statement, the team acknowledged an investigation but did not name Olshey, saying the Blazers were “recently notified of concerns around workplace environment by non-player personnel at the practice facility. In response, we immediately engaged O’Melveny & Myers, an outside firm with significant expertise in this area, to conduct a full, fair and independent review into these concerns and will take appropriate action based on its outcome.”
Olshey is alleged to have created a hostile work environment, with instances of bullying and intimidation, according to a Yahoo Sports report.
News of the investigation into Olshey was first reported by The Athletic and comes days after ESPN’s reporting of a history of alleged misconduct by Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver.
Olshey, 56, has been a member of the Blazers’ front office since 2012, when he took over as general manager following nine years in the LA Clippers organization. Olshey was promoted to his current role with Portland in 2015.
The Blazers are off to a 4-5 start under first-year head coach Chauncey Billups, who was hired this past offseason amid concerns about Billups’ involvement in a 1997 rape allegation.
Olshey was steadfast in his support of Billups at the time of the hire, leaning on the findings of an independent investigation the Blazers commissioned.