Adrian WojnarowskiofYahoo! Sports reportsthat the Portland Trail Blazers have finally begun the process of finding a full-time replacement for former GM Rich Cho, who was let go in May. ------------------------- The Portland Trail Blazers have started the interview process for their vacant general manager’s job, meeting with Oklahoma City Thunder executive Troy Weaver in Portland on Thursday, NBA front-office sources told Yahoo! Sports. ... Weaver has progressed rapidly as an executive, rising from a personnel director with the Utah Jazz to the No. 2 spot in Oklahoma City. Weaver is considered an excellent evaluator of talent, and is well-connected on every level of the game. ------------------------- Weaver has worked for the Thundersince 2008. According toRoyce YoungatDailyThunder.com, Weaver waspromotedto Vice President / assistant GM in August 2010, a little more than a month after Cho was hired by the Blazers. Prior to Cho's departure, both Cho and Weaver were listed as assistant GMs for Thunder GM Sam Presti. Weaver's responsibilities were day-to-day basketball operations and roster development. Coincidentally, Weaver coached the D.C. Assault AAU team in the 1990s, the same program that Blazers rookie guard Nolan Smith played for as a high schooler. Weaver was also a coach at Syracuse when Carmelo Anthony led the Orangemen to a national title.Here's an interviewwith Weaver conducted byMichael TilleryofTheStartingFive.netin January 2009. ------------------------- MT: What is your goal? TW: "To be a general manager. I want to see if the experiences and ideas I have can mesh with a staff, a team on the floor and see if it will work. I like team building. That would be an awesome challenge for me" -------------------------Roughly two weeks ago开拓者总裁拉里·米勒说Joe FreemanofThe Oregonianthat Blazers Acting GM Chad Buchanan would not be considered for the full-time position and that he waslooking for a candidatewith "GM experience or with extended service time as a No. 2." 101 days have passed since the Blazers "parted ways" with Cho.Update: Wojnarowskialso reportsthat the Blazers have contacted San Antonio Spurs asisstant GM Dennis Lindsey by phone and are interested in former Golden State Warriors GM and Naismith Hall of Famer Chris Mullin. Blazers president Larry Miller declined comment through a spokesperson on Saturday. -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter