The Portland Trail Blazers have relieved general manager Kevin Pritchard of his duties, the team announced just after the 2010 NBA Draft.

?This process was more public and took longer than any of us would have liked, but that was indicative of how critical a decision this was for the franchise,? said Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen. ?We want to thank and acknowledge Kevin for his solid work in getting us to where we are today. Parting ways with a popular general manager is not something we take lightly. In the end, we decided to make a change.?

Pritchard, 42, joined the Trail Blazers as the team?s director of player personnel prior to the 2004-05 season and served as the team?s interim head coach for the final 27 games of that campaign.

?This was an extremely difficult decision,? Trail Blazers President Larry Miller said. ?We wish Kevin well, and thank him for his valuable leadership and his many contributions. We remain dedicated to building a team of strong character and talent, as we stay firmly committed to bringing another championship to Portland.?