Blazers GM Rich Cho takes a stand with interesting implications

According to a well-placed source in the Blazers organization, an irritated Cho pushed for a suspension of three-time All-Star Brandon Roy for comments the guard made after Game 2 of Portland's eventual first-round playoff series loss to Dallas.

Roy told The Oregonian on April 1 after playing just eight minutes: "There was a point in the first half, and I was thinking 'You better not cry.'

"I mean, serious. I mean, there was a moment where I felt really sorry for myself. Then I was like, nah, you can't be sorry for yourself. I'm a grown man, but there was a moment there that I felt sorry for myself. Especially when I think I can still help."

Roy was asked a question. He told the truth. He spoke with humility, and honesty, and disappointment. What he said didn't hurt the team, and it's what a lot of the public was already thinking anyway. What was he supposed to do? Say how pleased he was? And because of this, I didn't have a single issue with Roy's comments.

But Cho did.

The first-year general manager had already warned Roy about pleading his case through the media after an early season swipe at teammate Andre Miller. And now, the one-time face of the franchise had apparently done it again.

What the public saw next isn't debatable. McMillan played Roy more minutes in Game 3, and he produced 16 points. And Roy's performance in Game 4 might be the greatest playoff burst in franchise history -- with the guard producing 18 brilliant fourth-quarter points and tying the series 2-2.

But it's what happened in private that I'm more focused on today. In part, because it tells us a lot about where this franchise is headed, where Roy stands, and the manner in which Cho is trying to assert himself.

Cho confirmed Saturday that he initially considered suspending Roy but backed off that and settled on a closed-door meeting with the player. The result was Roy apologizing to his teammates, and getting more minutes.

Pushing for a suspension was a bold play by Cho. Especially given that the last general manager, Kevin Pritchard, lost his job for thinking on his own. And even though I stone-cold disagree with the idea of suspending Roy for telling the world how he felt, I appreciate that Cho is trying to assert himself in a place that mostly deters it.

The well-placed source said Cho was talked off his initial position by McMillan and owner Paul Allen, who were in agreement that a suspension was neither warranted, nor a welcome distraction for a team down 0-2 to the Mavericks.

Being outranked by Allen is one thing. But the larger issue is whether the need for Allen to step in, and Roy’s subsequent performance, spells trouble for Cho in the big bossman’s eyes moving forward.

Cho would not discuss specifics of the conversation.