Dunleavy out as Clippers GM
March 9, 2010
LOS ANGELES (AP)—Mike Dunleavy and the Los Angeles Clippers parted company forgood Tuesday, barely a month after he relinquished his head coaching duties tofocus solely on being general manager.
Mike Dunleavy is no longer general manager of the Clippers.(Pat Sullivan/AP Photo)
Now that arrangement is over, with the team announcing his departure in ane-mailed statement. Assistant general manager Neil Olshey will take overDunleavy’s job.
“The team has simply not made sufficient progress during Dunleavy’sseven-year tenure,” the statement said. “The Clippers want to win now. Thistransition, in conjunction with a full commitment to dedicate unlimitedresources, is designed to accomplish that objective.”
The Clippers were 12th in the Western Conference standings with a 25-38record going into Tuesday night’s game at Orlando.
Dunleavy stepped down as head coach on Feb. 4, and was replaced by assistantKim Hughes.
At the time, Dunleavy said, “I thought, ‘It’s time for me to give somebodyelse a shot, you’re burnt out on this.”’
Olshey had been serving as assistant GM since before the 2008-09 season.Previously, he was director of player development, assistant coach and directorof player personnel.
The team said he played an important role in several transactions, includingdeals that brought Marcus Camby(notes), Rasual Butler(notes), Steve Blake(notes), Travis Outlaw(notes) andDrew Gooden(notes) to the Clippers. Olshey also was part of the planning for the team’slast four NBA drafts, including obtaining Blake Griffin(notes) as the No. 1 overallpick last season.
Griffin has missed this season because of injury.
The move comes with the Clippers having significant salary cap space inhopes of luring a top free agent this summer.
In 6 1/2 seasons as coach, Dunleavy was 215-325, and Los Angeles made theplayoffs just once in his first six seasons, getting within one game of theWestern Conference finals in 2006. The Clippers haven’t been back to theplayoffs since, winning just 42 games in the past two seasons.
Last month, Dunleavy said, “I wanted to stay with this organization, seethings through, one way or the other. I would have rather done it as asuccessful coach, but on the other hand, I can see ahead. It was going to be atough struggle all the way through.”
