By: Tyler Ward
It was reported on Tuesday that the Portland Trail Blazers have named Thunder assistant Rich Cho as their new general manager. On June 24, the Blazers fired former general manager Kevin Pritchard, even though they forced him to make draft decisions.
Cho has spent the past nine seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle Sonics. He joined the team as an intern when the franchise was based in Seattle. He graduated from Washington State and attended law school at Pepperdine. The terms of Cho's deal has not been disclosed.
He was interviewed by Blazers owner Paul Allen last week in Helsinki, Finland. Allen has not returned to the United States just yet, but released a statement, saying "Rich has depth of character, a foundation in business and legal matters and a knowledge of the game of NBA basketball that will help our team get even better. He is part of the new generation of NBA executives."
Portland's director of NBA scouting, Michael Born, and Chad Buchanan, director of college scouting, took over for Pritchard while the Blazers were hunting for a new general manager.
Larry Miller, Blazers president, said in a statement ealier in the day, "Everyone I spoke to about Rich commented not just on his qualifications but on who he is as a person. He is well known for his ability to connect genuinely with people. Rich will be a great fit for our organization and for Portland. He is an executive on the rise and we're thrilled to have him as a Trail Blazer."
During Cho's time in Seattle, he worked for Microsoft to develop an updated player evaluation system. He served as a vice president in charge of legal affairs, including licensing agreements and employment contracts.
The Blazers are hoping that they found their man and hopefully, he can lead the team for a long time. The Blazers have made the playoffs the past two seasons, but haven't escaped the first round both times.
