The Milwaukee Bucks apparently won't be losing general manager Ernie Grunfeld to the Portland Trail Blazers but he might still be a candidate for a similar job in Washington.

Shortly after hiring former Houston Rockets general manager Steve Patterson as their new team president Wednesday, the Trail Blazers said they were going to turn their attention to hiring a general manager, working from a short list of candidates that no longer included Grunfeld.

"We have contacted everyone we want to," Trail Blazers vice chairman Bert Kolde told reporters in Portland. "But I should also add that we were denied permission (to interview) candidates from some teams."

Portland had wanted to interview Grunfeld, who has one year left on his contract with the Bucks, but was denied.

When contacted Thursday, Grunfeld said, "I have been told that two teams have called asking for permission (to talk to him). Permission was denied both times."