Quote Originally Posted by BillDoran View Post
The organization as a whole, primarily upstairs, isn't exactly a bedrock of honesty and candidness, but I think that often gets more credit than it's due. That said Paul Allen and Larry Miller are not particularly likeable folks.

I have little doubt that there's some truth to Ziegler's accusations, but to think Portland wasn't considering the long-game in dealing with Roy's knees seems silly. Was he rushed back on demand of management for the 2011 playoffs? Hard to say. But it would be unspeakably foolish for an organization a year into a max contract to rush the star player back at peril of his future.

Allen and Miller have made some tremendously stupid moves, usually from a PR standpoint, but the team was built around Roy, to the point of input in moves, and that amount of influence and respect leave it hard for me to believe he wanted to leave town so badly as to retire.
I don't have any direct information about his disdain for the Blazers front office and it is perfectly possible that his retirement was entirely clear of any of my insinuations. But, they are on their 4th GM in a the last two years, running off Pritchard and Rich Cho (who both have jobs as GM's again) and their owner is mercurial to say the least. They hired an entirely new assistant coaching staff (the loss of Monty Williams was huge).

It is all circumstantial of course, so I am most likely wrong.