Trail Blazers launch investigation into allegations of misconduct against executive Neil Olshey

The Portland Trail Blazers have launched an investigation into the workplace conduct of president and general manager Neil Olshey, who is facing allegations that he has been leading a toxic and hostile work environment where employees are subject to intimidation, profanity-laced tirades and bullying, according to Yahoo Sports.

Olshey, 56, became the Trail Blazers general manager in 2012 and was promoted to become the team's president of basketball operations in 2015. According to Yahoo, "multiple employees assert they have had multiple grievances" over Olshey's treatment of staff during his more than nine years at the helm of the franchise.

Owner Jody Allen, the Trail Blazers and Olshey all declined to comment on the investigation when contacted by The Athletic on Friday night.

Portland's star point guard Damian Lillard was the first draft pick of Olshey's tenure with the Trail Blazers. While the team missed the postseason during the 2012-13 season, it has since made the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons, including a trip to the 2019 Western Conference Finals.

Still, the Trail Blazers' streak of postseason appearances without a trip to the NBA Finals has a growing group of fans calling for Olshey to be fired. That frustration was exacerbated by the team's decision to hire Chauncey Billups as head coach in 2021, despite an allegation of sexual assault in Billups' past. The Trail Blazers claimed the team did a "thorough" investigation of the incident, but neither the reported victim nor her attorney were contacted by the organization, according to OPB.