Buchanan won’t campaign for job

On Sports

By kerry eggers

The Portland Tribune, May 26, 2011, Updated May 27, 2011

Jaime Valdez / Portland Tribune

Trail Blazers President Larry Miller is who interim general manager Chad Buchanan will report to as the team prepares for the NBA draft and looks for a permanent successor to Rich Cho, was was fired on Monday.

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As an undergrad at Division III Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, Chad Buchanan wasn’t counting on any kind of professional basketball career.

“I grew up in Des Moines,” Buchanan says. “The NBA was just kind of a far-off dream. Simpson College hasn’t produced too many NBA players.

“I liked playing and coaching. But for me, it’s about just being in the gym. I want to smell the popcorn. That’s the most important thing for me — being around the game of basketball.”

Look where Buchanan finds himself at 38 years of age — running an NBA front office, if only on an interim basis.

As of Monday, Buchanan is the Trail Blazers’ acting general manager, replacing Rich Cho, who was fired after 10 months on the job.

For the second time in less than a year — Buchanan and Mike Born shared the same duties last summer when Kevin Pritchard was let go — Buchanan is replacing the executive above him.

“It’s bittersweet,” Buchanan says. “I loved working for Rich. I feel for the guy. You feel bad any time somebody loses his job.

“But I know our team is on the verge of doing something pretty special. If we can make a couple of tweaks to the roster, maybe we can take a big step forward. I look forward to the challenge of helping the team improve.”

There’s enough uncertainty throughout the NBA with a potential lockout that looms July 1. In Portland, the situation is doubly unsettled. The Blazers are left with Buchanan — the club’s director of college scouting the past four years — handling draft and front-office responsibilities.

There is help in the form of Born, the director of NBA scouting, assistant GMs Bill Branch and Steve Rosenberry and chief scout Joe Cronin. Last summer, with Buchanan and Born spearheading negotiations, Portland signed Wesley Matthews to a five-year, free-agent contract.

“We’re going to be fine,” team President Larry Miller says. “I have a lot of confidence in Chad and the management team in getting us through the draft.

“Last year, Chad and Mike drove the Matthews deal. We’re going to be OK as we assess what we need to do to bring in the right person for the (GM) job.”

Make no mistake about it, there will be worthy candidates. The banter about potential GMs avoiding Portland because of what happened with Pritchard and Cho is poppycock.

There are only 30 of these jobs and about 30,000 people who would love to fill them. Paul Allen will pay top dollar if necessary, and his track record proves he’ll provide financial support in lining up talent. The nucleus on the current roster is young and can win now.

Where does Buchanan fit in as a candidate?

He may not be ready, though he’s a bright, up-and-coming basketball guy with excellent people skills who one day may get a permanent GM post. And unless he knocks the socks off of Allen, sidekick Bert Kolde and Miller with his work between now and July 1, he probably won’t get consideration.

That doesn’t bother Buchanan. He’s not campaigning for the job.

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