Joe Cronin, the Portland Trail Blazers’ general manager, is immersed in his fifth offseason in charge of the direction of the franchise.
He has already pulled off a major trade, sending guard Anfernee Simons, 26, to Boston for guard Jrue Holiday, 35, and on Wednesday night, made the shocking selection of center Yang Hansen, 20, with the No. 16 pick during the first round of the NBA draft.
Cronin made those timeline-conflicting moves with a “For Sale” sign hanging on the franchise’s door.
The Paul Allen estate announced last month that the franchise is for sale. Allen’s sister, Jody Allen, is the estate’s trustee and chair of the Blazers. Bert Kolde is the franchise’s vice-chair.
That potential sale of the team leaves a cloud of uncertainty over Cronin and everyone within the franchise. New ownership can be unpredictable.
In many cases, existing staff end up being replaced within a relatively short period of time.
But Cronin said following the selection of Yang that his focus is not on his future.
“I’m mainly just excited for Jody and Bert,” he said. “I think it’s been incredible to be able to work for them and work with them. And they were here tonight, and they were great once again.”
Trading for Holiday, a two-time All-Star, should help the team make a run at the play-in next season. However, Yang is a project, one that Cronin might not see reach his potential should a new owner seek to hire their own staff.
When asked if that potential reality has created more urgency to win next season, Cronin downplayed the idea.
“I’m just trying to do what’s best for this basketball team, for our fans, for the city, just trying to build this team the right way,” Cronin said. “And that’s what we’re locked in on, is how do we get this team to the next step?”
Yang Hansen speaks to the media after being drafted 16th oveall by the Memphis Grizzlies then traded to the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. N (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)Getty Images
The next step would mean reaching the postseason in 2026 after finishing 36-46, three games out of the final play-in spot. That is a reasonable goal, considering that the Blazers went 23-18 during the second half of the season.
“I really like where we’re headed,” Cronin said. “I love the steps we took last year. I’m excited about the steps we’re going to take this year and beyond.”
The tenures for coaches and general managers in losing situations don’t usually last long under new ownership.
The Charlotte Hornets were sold for $3.3 billion in August 2023 to a group headed by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall. The franchise was coming off a 27-55 season under coach Steve Clifford.
Clifford coached the Hornets to a 21-61 record the following season. In March 2024, Jeff Peterson was named executive vice president of basketball operations, which led to general manager Mitch Kupchak assuming an advisory role.
Clifford followed suit and Peterson replaced him with Charles Lee.
Even winning coaches can be in jeopardy under new ownership.
Mat Ishbia’s $4 billion purchase of the Phoenix Suns was finalized in early 2023. Then-coach Monty Williams finished the season 45-37 and was fired in May 2023.
His replacement, Frank Vogel, went 49-33 and was fired. Vogel’s successor, Mike Budenholzer, went 36-46 and was fired last month, replaced by Jordan Ott.
The general manager when Ishbia took over was James Jones. He moved into a senior advisory role last May, replaced by Brian Gregory.
Winning coaches and general managers can often receive more grace.
In September 2017, Tilman Fertitta purchased the Rockets for $2.2 billion. Then-coach Mike D’Antoni coached three more seasons under Fertitta.
However, D’Antoni was coming off a 55-27 record in 2017. He won 65 games the following season, reaching the 2018 Western Conference Finals. He won 53 games in 2018-19 and then 44 during the 2019-20 season before electing to walk after his contract expired.
D’Antoni had been hired by general manager Daryl Morey, who also chose to step down in 2020, leading to a Rockets rebuild.
The situation surrounding Cronin and Billups most closely resembles Charlotte in 2023. By that point, the Hornets had drafted point guard LaMelo Ball in 2020, and he became an All-Star during the 2021-22 season. But the wins weren’t coming.
Trail Blazers general manger Joe Cronin discusses the draft selection of center Yang Hansen out of China during the 2025 NBA draft. Cronin held a press conference at the team's Tualatin practice facility on July 25, 2025. (Photo by Aaron Fentress).Aaron Fentress
The Blazers, under Cronin and Billups, have experienced four consecutive losing seasons while contending with major injuries, trading away Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, and relying on a host of young players during their rebuilding phase.
Another season of improvement could convince a new owner to allow Cronin and Billups to continue their rebuild.
A fifth consecutive losing season, however, might make a new owner think otherwise.
Expect Cronin to make more win-now moves before the start of training camp in September.
“We’d love to get through this transaction window a little further,” Cronin said. “We still got a big trade window and free agency coming up. But as is, with the stuff we’ve done already, with the guys we have coming back, I’m very excited about this group. I don’t necessarily have expectations of them reaching some benchmark other than I want to just see them keep getting better and better every day, every week and every month.”