Interim coach Kaleb Canales will run the workouts and the Blazers’ management team will be heavily involved. But Olshey will coordinate everything, including planning what drills and sets the prospects go through during a workout.
“For the most part, I’m looking to see if guys can compete,” Olshey said. “This is a job interview for a multi-million dollar job. I want to see who wants it, who is willing to lay it on the line and compete for a job.”
Olshey and the Blazers will take most of their prime targets out to dinner or lunch to get to know them off the court. As he shares a casual meal and, later, puts the prospect through a rigorous workout, Olshey will be looking for the perfect combination of character and killer instinct.
“Chris Paul is one of the nicest people you will ever meet in your life,” Olshey said of the Clippers’ All-Star point guard. “But he’s an assassin. Nobody is a better family man. Nobody is a better person. He knows everyone and treats everyone the same, from coaches all the way to the ball boy. But I’d be terrified to play him because he’ll rip your throat out to win a basketball game.”