Haynes: Blazers Part Ways With Director Of NBA Scouting Mike Born

Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com reports on Twitter that the Portland Trail Blazers have parted ways with Director of NBA Scouting Mike Born.

Blazers opted not to exercise option year on Mike Born, Director of NBA Scouting, sources inform @CSNNW. He's no longer with organization.

Born, 48, was hired by the Blazers as a scout in 2004 and former Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard promoted Born to director of NBA scouting in in 2007. Pritchard, Born and Blazers Director of College Scouting Chad Buchanan had worked together in the ABA prior to their arrival in Portland.

Born remained with the organization after Pritchard's firing in 2010, through the Rich Cho era, through Buchanan's term as interim GM and through two seasons under Blazers GM Neil Olshey.

Born's media guide bio noted that he "attends games at all levels: the NBA, minor league, and internationally to evaluate talent for trades and free agency, along with prospective draft picks. He also evaluates college games during the season for draft preparation."

Born played college basketball for the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Iowa State before playing professionally in France, Germany and in the Independent Basketball Association.

Olshey's front office now includes two assistant GMs who were hired by Cho -- Bill Branch and Steve Rosenberry -- and Buchanan, as well Assistant Director of Scouting/Salary Cap Analyst Joe Cronin, a scouting staff and an analytics team.

Many thanks and best wishes to Born, who regularly took the time to provide prospect breakdowns to Blazersedge at Las Vegas Summer League over the years.

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