Quick: Blazers President Chris McGowan Warned Team Employees To Be Prepared For More Layoffs

Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports that Portland Trail Blazers president Chris McGowan warned team employees that more layoffs are coming during a recent internal meeting.

... In his speech, he warned that more layoffs could be ahead.

... He says he is under no directives from Vulcan, "other than to simply run a better organization and improve the results," McGowan said.

... He says all personnel decisions will be made by Feb. 15, but people should look at the recent firings as a way to flourish.

McGowan also admitted to being "nervous" during his introductory press conference, in which he struggled to articulate a vision and in which Blazers GM Neil Olshey told reporters that McGowan would be staying in his own lane and not interfering with basketball decisions.

I noted earlier this season that this is a scary time for Blazers employees following the resignations of former president Larry Miller and former COO Sarah Mensah. McGowan has already laid off three long-time executives and the Blazers also recently announced the resignation of top lawyer, Mike Fennell, in October, while senior VP J.E. Isaac resigned in June 2011.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter