Neil Olshey Ditches LA Clippers, Leaves for the Portland Trail Blazers

ESPN's Kevin Arnovitz has many stories related to the Clippers and all their bizarre palace intrigue, and now reports the following:

"

Just filed to ESPN.com: Neil Olshey will not be returning to Clippers. Sources close to negotiations say he'll be POR GM.

— Kevin Arnovitz (@kevinarnovitz) June 5, 2012"

Olshey is leaving Los Angeles for Portland, running into the arms of an owner who communicates via octopus gesticulations (via Yahoo!). He will fill a general managing void that has lasted 377 days, according to Ben Golliver of Blazersedge. This opens up a Blazers-esque vacancy in Clipperland.  

In this case, the sequence seems to be,

1. Vinny Del Negro was going to be fired.
2. Owner Donald Sterling intervened (via Bill Simmons of Grantland).
3. Vinny still works for the Clippers.
4. GM Neil Olshey left for the Blazers. Hmmmm. 

It would seem, at a glance, that Del Negro's continued presence might have something to do with Olshey's departure. Considering that Neil Olshey is fresh off bringing Chris Paul to one of the most maligned franchises in the history of sports, his fleeing might speak to just how dysfunctional and disinterested in winning the House of Sterling really is.

If you have to choose between Del Negro and almost any GM, it really shouldn't be a choice. I rarely judge coaches so harshly from afar, but Vinny's sideline antics were the final straw. Less than a year ago, the Clippers were building something with a Blake-CP3 foundation. After a second round playoff journey, that foundation is cracking.