Portland Trail Blazers fired Neil Olshey, the team’s president of basketball operations and general manager, on Friday after an investigation found he violated the team’s code of conduct.
The Trail Blazers announced in early November an independent probe was ongoing after they were made aware of “concerns around workplace environment by non-player personnel at the practice facility.”
Olshey, 56, had been general manager of the Trail Blazers since 2012, while he was promoted to president of basketball operations in 2015.
“Out of respect for those who candidly participated in that privileged investigation, we will not release or discuss it,” the Trail Blazers said in a statement.
“We are confident that these changes will help build a more positive and respectful working environment.”
Director of player personnel Joe Cronin will serve as interim general manager during the Trail Blazers’ search for a permanent replacement, the team said.
Trail Blazers president and CEO Chris McGowan stepped down last month after nine years in the position, with chief commercial officer and executive vice president Dewayne Hankins taking over as the team’s new president of business operations.
Portland fired longtime coach Terry Stotts at the end of last season and hired Chauncey Billups as his replacement.
That hire came amid questions about how the Trail Blazers selected Billups over more experienced candidates and concerns about sexual assault allegations lodged against him in 1997.
Billups was never charged and settled the civil lawsuit outside of court in 2000.
The Blazers are off to an 11-12 start to the Billups era, currently sitting in ninth place in the Western Conference.