Trail Blazers, Portland Officials ‘Very Far Apart’ In Contentious Lease Talks
The Trail Blazers are “very far apart” in their negotiations with the city of Portland to provide public funding for renovations to the Moda Center, a team source tells Jason Quick of The Athletic.
City officials sent the Blazers a term sheet on Friday outlining a 20-year lease agreement that includes $600MM in public funds to upgrade the arena. Quick notes that Portland is asking the team to pay $3MM per year for a property tax offset, which would increase over time. The proposal also requires the team to hire union workers and set caps on cost overruns.
“The term sheet is a non-starter,’’ Quick’s source said. “I don’t know why they sent it to us, because they know very little of the stuff we would agree to. They are playing politics at this point.”
The team’s board of directors will meet later today to discuss the offer and prepare a response. The city has scheduled a vote on funding for August 12, and Quick notes that a deal must be reached by the end of the year for the offer to include state funds.
There are fears that failure to reach an agreement could result in the Trail Blazers leaving Portland when their lease at the arena expires in 2030. There’s “unspoken tension” that new owner Tom Dundon would consider relocating the team, but Quick hears from two high-ranking sources in the organization that Dundon has never mentioned that as a possibility.
“No one with the Blazers has ever said we want to move,’’ one of the sources said. “We don’t want that. We want to stay in Portland.’’
Quick points out that the relationship between the Blazers and city officials has become strained, with both sides accusing each other of operating in bad faith. Some council members believe the team hasn’t been open about how it plans to spend the money from the city.
“I think the Blazers have been behaving poorly,’’ councilor Mitch Green said. “They thought because they passed the state legislature (for $365MM in funding) that the deal was done. But we have a set of councilors who are asking tough questions. And this is Portland, Oregon, where people want more public transparency than there has been.’’
The Blazers contend they haven’t shared their renovation plans because they’re currently just “ideas or concepts,” and they’re upset that councilor Steve Novick threatened to sue the team last month for failing to properly maintain the Moda Center.
“We don’t even want to respond to the term sheet until they remove that gun to our head,’’ a team source told The Athletic.
Another Trail Blazers source told Quick that they’re reluctant to go into detail with council about their renovation ideas until they’re sure that the information won’t become part of a lawsuit.
According to Quick, the Blazers’ plans include a new atrium entrance on the north side of the arena that would provide for easier traffic flow. They also want to place kitchens on all three levels to provide more concession options, eliminate some seating and create a bar area, and update the club-level seats.
Quick notes that team officials thought a deal with the city was secure after the state made a $365MM commitment in March to renovate the arena. However, that arrangement is contingent on the city of Portland agreeing to provide $120MM, plus another $88MM from Multnomah County. The Blazers contend that a “handshake agreement” with all three entities took place and they don’t understand why things have changed.
Quick also hears that team officials have been examining recent arena deals in Oklahoma City and Utah as they explore their options, which may include trying to get a new facility in Portland.
“The city’s delay has given us time to study what a market deal is,’’ Quick’s source said. “And let’s just say the $600MM deal that was supposed to be done six months ago was a way-below-market deal.’’
Blazers Notes: Morant, Nori, Holiday, Moda Center
The Trail Blazers‘ deal to acquire Ja Morant from the Grizzlies caught many people by surprise, in part because Portland was already relatively deep at the guard position. Morant isn’t worried about that and is excited not only to play with the returning Damian Lillard but also to benefit from his veteran leadership Kelly Iko writes for Yahoo Sports.
Examining how the two guards might fit together, Iko points to the combination of Lillard’s elite outside shooting — he ranks 27th all-time in made three-pointers — and Morant’s elite play-making as intriguing counterparts to each other.
The Blazers finished 28th in the NBA in three-point percentage last year with Lillard recovering from an Achilles tear. Playing alongside Morant, who is adept at getting into the paint and kicking the ball out, Lillard should be able to help improve that number considerably. The duo will also likely help the Blazers stop being so turnover-prone — the team ranked dead last in the league last year with a 16.9% turnover rate.
Iko also notes that while Morant has defensive limitations due to his size, he puts in more effort on that end than he tends to get credit for, though the pair is still likely to struggle to contain bigger, more athletic backcourts.
As for why the Blazers were the ones to make this deal, new owner Tom Dundon is likely a significant factor, according to Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report (Substack link). Dundon prides himself on his ability to buy low on assets and turn them into something positive. That approach can be risky, but it has also led to success for Dundon, both in his business and in his ownership of the Stanley Cup-winning Carolina Hurricanes.
We have more on the Blazers:
- New head coach Micah Nori is already hard at work trying to figure out how the puzzle pieces will fit together in Portland. He spent a two-hour lunch in South Carolina with Morant on Tuesday and came away impressed by how serious and earnestly excited the point guard seemed to be to start a new chapter in his journey, Jason Quick writes for the Athletic. Nori already had a family vacation planned in South Carolina, giving the entire enterprise a feeling of kismet. “The way he was talking, the way he looked … the intent he had, you could just tell in his face that he missed basketball,” Nori said. “And he assured that we were going to get the best Ja and that he was going to do all the right things.” With Memphis trending downward in recent years, Morant appears to be energized by the opportunity to join a team looking to contend. “All he kept talking about was how the most fun he had playing basketball was those first couple years in Memphis, when they were in the playoffs,” Nori said. “He kept talking about how he was excited to have the opportunity to win basketball games and not have to play for ping-pong balls.”
- Nori’s next stop is Los Angeles, where he intends to meet with Jrue Holiday to assure him that – despite the trade for Morant – the veteran combo guard is still very much in the team’s plans moving forward, Quick writes. Nori knows that many expect Holiday to be moved as a result of the Morant deal, and it’s possible that an offer comes along that’s too enticing to decline. However, as a basketball tactician, he’s excited about the optionality that he could have with Lillard, Morant, Holiday, and the young Scoot Henderson, and how he can confound opposing defenses with smaller lineups.
- Dundon recently expressed that he is not interested in putting his own money into the planned $600MM renovation to the Moda Center, believing that by keeping the team in Portland, he’s already showing sufficient financial sacrifice, Shane Dixon Kavanaugh writes for The Oregonian. Instead, the new owner believes the Portland taxpayers should foot the bill, though he faces push-back from local lawmakers, who believe that Dundon should be making some level of financial contribution. “I am going to have a hard time agreeing to give public money if I’m not seeing a private investment,” one city councilor said during a recent Portland Metro Chamber meeting, per The Oregonian. The 12-person city council will have the ultimate right of approval of the deal, and with both sides seeming to dig in on their respective stances, the future of the project remains unclear. “The options on the table here, at least from the limited information that I have been given, are shaky at best and fiscally irresponsible at worst,” said councilor Angelita Morillo on Wednesday. “And it seems absurd to tout this as a good deal.”
Western Notes: Jazz, Nurkic, Dundon, Thunder
The rebuild is over for the Jazz, who appear poised to take a significant step forward in 2026/27, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. As Jones details, Utah is excited to “finally take the shackles off” Will Hardy, whom they feel can be one of the NBA’s best head coaches, but who has been handcuffed by the team’s tanking efforts in recent years.
Hardy will be coaching a frontcourt that has the potential to be one of the league’s best, with Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler leading the way. The Jazz also have a rising star in the backcourt in Keyonte George and could have one of the best young duos in the NBA, with this year’s No. 2 overall pick joining last year’s No. 5 selection Ace Bailey.
Still, as Jones points out, the Jazz won’t be able to rest on their laurels going forward. Markkanen and Jackson are already on sizable contracts, with Kessler likely to get a lucrative new deal of his own in restricted free agency this offseason. George will also be eligible for a rookie scale extension in a matter of weeks and appears to be in line for a significant raise after increasing his scoring average to 23.6 points per game in his third season. In other words, the core of Utah’s roster will get expensive soon, so the front office will have to continue making savvy moves to supplement that core with winning role players.
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- Former Suns center Jusuf Nurkic raised eyebrows during an appearance on the X&Os Chat with Edin Avdic (YouTube link) when he discussed his relationship with former Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer and referred to him as an “alcohol addict” who would schedule 1-on-1 meetings with his players “just to provoke” them, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic relays. Nurkic previously spoke about his frosty relationship with Budenholzer back when both men were still in Phoenix, with reporting at the end of the 2024/25 season indicating that the coach told the big man he was a “bad teammate.”
- The criticism that Tom Dundon has faced for the way he has run the Trail Blazers since he took control of the team earlier this spring has come as a surprise to many in the hockey world, according to James Mirtle of The Athletic, who says the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes is popular among his players and isn’t described as “cheap” by those who have worked with him in the NHL. “The fact of the matter is, he doesn’t always do things in traditional ways,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. “I think in some ways he’s a bit of a disruptor, but he’s extraordinarily creative and effective. And the results in Carolina — they’re both on and off the ice.”
- Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman provides a roster primer for the Thunder as they head into a big offseason, while Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) considers what sort of moves Oklahoma City could make this summer. Gozlan speculates that four years and $104MM would be the floor for Cason Wallace on a rookie scale extension — that would put him in the range of Dyson Daniels and Christian Braun, both of whom received $25MM per year on their rookie scale extensions in 2025.
Northwest Notes: Gilgeous-Alexander, Game 7, Wolves, Blazers
The Thunder expected to be fighting to win their second straight championship next week. Instead, they face a summer of introspection and figuring out what they need to do to reach the Finals again.
When it comes to making or suggesting personnel changes, reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander says that he will not be a part of the discussions, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter video link).
“I will give zero input,” he said. “I will let Sam Presti, the greatest GM ever, do his job.”
As Gilgeous-Alexander won a second consecutive MVP award and led the Thunder to another deep playoff run, critics have griped about his playing style, accusing him of egregiously seeking out contact and flopping. Warriors forward Draymond Green said that the conversations have skewed too negative for his taste, according to Ali Thanawalla of NBC Sports Bay Area.
“We want to pinpoint the thing that we can slow down. Shai’s falling. Shai’s at the free-throw line. Everybody’s complaining about Shai getting too many foul calls. And going into Game 6, Shai had shot five more free throws in the series than Wemby. But the whole complaint is Shai’s getting too many foul calls. I don’t understand it,” Green said. “‘Ah man, he’s foul baiting.’ Shai, what I will say is, you’ve reached a new level of greatness, my man. Congratulations. Your hard work has paid off. You’ve reached a new level of greatness because you have sports media heads coming out and talking about what they don’t like about your greatness. Imagine that.”
We have more from around the Northwest Division:
- The Thunder‘s inability to make, let alone win, their second straight Finals is a testament to how difficult it is to be a repeat champion in the NBA, Joel Lorenzi writes for The Athletic. While fans have grown accustomed in the past to teams like the Heat and Warriors rattling off championships, this season will mark the eighth straight year without a repeat winner. “It always takes a little bit of luck,” Alex Caruso said. “We were lucky last year, our team was healthy the whole time outside of (Jalen Williams’) wrist, but he was able to play still. This year, losing those two guys, it changes the dynamic of the team. Obviously, you’re playing a good opponent. You’re playing a 62-win team.” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr empathized with the difficult task. “The whole league, by the way, is spending all their time trying to figure out how to beat you, building their teams to beat you, building new schemes to beat you. That’s a lot to face year in and year out,” he said. “And at the same time, it’s like, what an honor that is.”
- Another team trying to figure out how to beat both the Thunder and Spurs is the one that lost to San Antonio in the second round: the Timberwolves. After an earlier exit than they would have liked, they’ll have some ability to be aggressive in pursuing trades, but will also have to deal with a handful of roadblocks, Yossi Gozlan writes in his offseason preview for the Third Apron. One of the bigger questions facing the team’s new ownership is whether the Wolves will be willing to operate as a second-apron team again. The answer to that question will determine how aggressive they’ll be in shedding salary or pursuing upgrades. With Anthony Edwards becoming extension-eligible this summer, the team will also need to show him that they’re taking the right steps in making the team a true contender.
- Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon‘s hockey team, the Carolina Hurricanes, is in the midst of a massive arena renovation that came through coordinated efforts with the state mayor, the public university system, and more parties. While it’s not a perfectly analogous situation to the Blazers’ efforts to renovate the Moda Center, exploring why the former has been so successful might help provide insights for the latter, writes Bill Oram of the Oregonian. The Blazers’ arena project faces community skepticism, especially regarding using a clean energy fund for the $4.3 billion franchise, at a time when the city’s economy is losing jobs at a rate much higher than in other areas of the country.
New Blazers Owner: Franchise Needed To Be Leaner
Tom Dundon, the Trail Blazers’ new majority owner, told Bill Oram of The Oregonian that laying off 70 employees of the franchise last week was mainly due to overstaffing rather than frugality. Dundon said the organization had twice as many employees as the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, another franchise he owns.
“My experience is that less layers gives people more accountability and they do a better job,” Dundon said. “Then you know that you’re getting a great job done and you don’t end up in the situation where many companies end up, which is everyone’s looking around for somebody else to do it, complaining about what’s fair and not fair. I’ve seen the job done really well with a lot of accountability, no drama and a lot of, honestly, happiness. People are happier when they’re busy and productive. That is the way I think things should be done. And more people just creates more problems, usually. I think Portland just had too many people.”
Dundon has also been criticized for some cost-cutting measures involving the team. They were reportedly the only team not to bring their two-way players on the road for their first-round series; they have begun requiring support staffers to check out of their hotel rooms early in order to avoid incurring late check-out fees; and they reportedly want to pay their next permanent head coach a bargain-basement rate.
However, Dundon insisted he would not pinch pennies when it came to the players.
“This was mostly on the business side,” Dundon said of his budgetary decisions. “The basketball, they’re two separate businesses. Taking care of the players is not… We don’t have a budget for that. It’s whatever it takes to put them in the best position to win. That’s what we’re going to do. The business I’m going to run like you run every other business.”
Here’s more from Oram’s interview with the Blazers owner:
On the Portland City Council’s impasse regarding funding for Moda Center renovations (the state has already agreed to contribute $365MM):
“I don’t know enough about their process. I know that we came in with an intention to do something that, that could just start moving forward immediately. Because the building is older and we do need to get to work and time never helps deals. And now they have a choice. I would have thought it would be done by now, but they are elected to do their job and they’re going to do whatever they think is right and then we’ll respond to that.”
On the team’s trade deadline approach this past season:
“We were talking during the trade deadline and we had a choice. You could sell off some things for (future assets) or you could try to create the culture where you win. To me, that’s way more important than the stuff that’s out there. The choice we made was to add a piece (Vit Krejci) and try to create the culture of we’re here to win. And a lot of these other things, I don’t think have anything to do with that. I haven’t been in a lot of situations where people don’t think that the relentless pursuit of trying to win (is) an advantage. I’m pretty sure over time that will become obvious.”
On duplicating the success of the Hurricanes with the Blazers:
“Ultimately, you do everything you can to get the best players possible. Create a culture where they taken care of but also pushed. And creating a culture where everybody is doing what’s best for the team. It’s some of the cliche stuff. Great coaching and accountability and standards. I think we’ll be at the top of the league in creating that environment where we get the best out of players and we create a roster full of players that, that are put in the best position to win. And I think that’s replicable.”
Northwest Notes: Paul, Dundon, Jazz, Nuggets
Chris Paul doesn’t play for the Thunder or Spurs. However, he had a major impact on both of the Western Conference finalists, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News writes.
Paul was a mentor to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a member of the Thunder during the 2019/20 season. He also played a leadership role for the young Spurs squad last season.
“He helped the young guys, including myself, really understand the game at a different level,” Spurs forward Keldon Johnson said. “He’s a winning basketball player, and I can see how he contributed to winning here as well.”
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Trail Blazers fans have some concerns about new majority owner Tom Dundon, who has made cost-cutting measures since taking over the franchise. There are also fears Dundon might look to move the franchise to another state. The Oregonian’s Bill Oram spoke with numerous executives and fans of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, a franchise Dundon also owns, and their comments should generally ease fears about Dundon’s long-term plans. Dundon has committed to investing $800MM into development around the Lenovo Center, where the Hurricanes play. Any concerns about relocation were erased after a new 20-year lease was signed in 2023. “If he bought (the Hurricanes) with a plan to leave,” Hurricanes CEO Brian Fork said, “he could have tried to execute on that. But he did the opposite of that and sort of doubled down in this market.”
- The Jazz had some major lottery luck, securing the No. 2 pick. Team president of basketball operations Austin Ainge represented the team at the lottery. He’s hoping this will be their last visit to the league’s lottery drawing room for a long time, according to Kevin Reynolds of the Salt Lake Tribune. “I hope I’m not back here,” he said.
- The Nuggets hold the No. 26 and 49 picks in next month’s draft. Vinny Benedetto of the Denver Gazette takes a closer look at some of the prospects who might be available at those points in the draft.
Blazers Notes: Coaching Search, Grant, Wesley, Cissoko
The Trail Blazers‘ search for their next head coach is starting to take shape, with a multitude of names being added to the list of interviewees this week, and seemingly still more to come.
Five candidates have progressed to the second round of the process and will interview in person, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian (subscriber link): Jeff Van Gundy (Clippers), Tiago Splitter (Blazers), Micah Nori (Timberwolves), Tyler Lashbrook (Celtics), and Mike Williams (Jazz). While those coaches have been identified as “finalists,” more candidates could still join that group, as the team continues to hold preliminary interviews with other potential targets, including Jerry Stackhouse.
Part of the cause of the lack of clarity in reporting is the unusual method of the hiring search, Freeman writes, as the team still hasn’t decided whether it will hold in-person interviews in Portland, Dallas, or Raleigh, North Carolina, which would help new owner Tom Dundon stay close to his NHL team, the Carolina Hurricanes, who are currently in the Eastern Conference finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
One name has already been eliminated from the search, as Jared Dudley (Nuggets) had an interview via Zoom, but did not make it to the next round, Freeman writes.
A source told The Oregonian that Portland will look to make its decision by the end of May, though that’s not necessarily viewed as a firm deadline.
We have more from around the Blazers:
- After a disappointing 2024/25 season, veteran forward Jerami Grant had a good year in ’25/26, averaging 18.6 points while hitting 38.9% of his threes in 29.7 minutes per game. He started 38 of his 57 games and provided a steadying presence throughout the year. It’s unclear what his future is with the team or elsewhere, given the large amount of money still owed to him and the ways his game has aged, Freeman writes (subscriber link). Grant is under contract for $34.2MM next season, with a $36.4MM player option in 2027/28, and his defense and rebounding have fallen off considerably since his time in Denver, making the prospect of trading him a tricky one.
- Blake Wesley looked poised to contribute in a real way this year, but a broken bone in his foot derailed his season in late October. He missed three months, during which time Splitter changed the team’s playing style, according to Freeman in a separate piece. When he returned, Wesley couldn’t quite match his early-season impact, but he remained a well-liked locker room presence. Whether he stays or goes this summer will depend on who else is out there. “If you, as an organization, feel like you can upgrade that third point guard spot, you do it. If you feel like you like him, you bring him back,” an anonymous scout said. “He’s an end-of-the-bench guy. Still young and not much more than a backup.” Another scout was slightly more complimentary: “I liked him. He’s a third point guard. Dynamic. He’s quick, athletic, (has) long arms, plays both side of the ball, puts pressure on the defense. He’s a minimum (contract) guy. He was really good for them. I like what I saw from him last year.”
- Another young player who was a pleasant surprise in 2025/26 was Sidy Cissoko, Freeman writes. The 22-year-old wing, who has a $2.5MM partially guaranteed deal for next season, ended up starting 26 games and having his two-day deal converted into a standard contract. “He’s only 22, but I feel like I’ve been watching this kid for five years,” a scout said. “He’s got a good feel for the game and he plays hard. That’s why coaches love him. But his lack of ability to shoot the ball is going to hurt him.” Cissoko shot 29.8% from three this season on 2.6 attempts, both of which were career-high numbers.
Trail Blazers Reportedly Lay Off About 70 Employees
The Trail Blazers have laid off approximately 70 employees from their business operations department, according to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (via Twitter).
Longtime Blazers.com reporter Casey Holdahl confirmed he was among the employees let go (Twitter link).
President of business operations Dewayne Hankins released a statement regarding the decision, as Joe Freeman of The Oregonian relays (All Twitter links).
“Today, as part of our plans to position the organization for the future, we made the difficult decision to restructure several areas of the business,” Hankins said. “These changes impacted talented people who have helped shape the Trail Blazers over many years. We are deeply grateful for their contributions, their leadership and the care they showed every day for our team, our fans and the Portland community.
“Our focus now is supporting those affected through the transition and positioning the organization for long-term success.”
It’s the first of what could be many major changes under new majority owner Tom Dundon, who addressed some of the accusations of cheapness that have followed him last week in a podcast appearance. Dundon, who also owns the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, claimed he was willing to spend on the players, but suggested the business side wasn’t being run to his satisfaction.
“I just don’t want to waste money. I want to invest it,” Dundon said. “I’ll have many masseuses. I’ll have the best food. We’re going to take care of the players, because it helps you win. It’s part of the deal. Some of the stuff about how we’re going to run the business; Portland spends $100MM more a year on their business than the Hurricanes do, not including players.
“The Hurricanes, since I bought the team, have the first or second-best record in the league. So, I’m just not going to waste $100MM, just because somebody wants to write an article calling me cheap. I’m just not going to do it. And so, it’s hard because I don’t think about a budget when it comes to the playing team and how to make sure we win. Some of the stuff that was blamed on money is actually not 100% true.”
Coaching Rumors: Splitter, Blazers, Bulls, Bickerstaff, More
After reporting a couple weeks ago that Tiago Splitter was unlikely to be hired as the Trail Blazers‘ head coach, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) has walked back that report to some extent.
As Fischer explains, there was initially pessimism that Portland would promote Splitter to the permanent job after he spent the majority of 2025/26 as the Blazers’ interim head coach. However, he heard “whispers” on Monday that the possibility can’t be ruled out.
Splitter, who was hired as an assistant last June, took over the top coaching post when Chauncey Billups was arrested on federal charges and placed on unpaid leave after the first game of the regular season. Splitter did an admirable job, leading the team to a 42-39 record and earning Portland’s first playoff spot in five years.
In addition to his success with the Blazers, the former NBA big man also earned “real respect” around the league for the way he handled himself and guided the team during an unprecedented situation, Fischer writes. As such, he’s still believed to be a candidate for the full-time job “on some level.”
For what it’s worth, Kurt Helin of NBC Sports says the “buzz in league circles” is new majority owner Tom Dundon isn’t a “big fan” of Splitter.
Other candidates for Portland’s head coaching vacancy include assistant coaches Micah Nori (Timberwolves), Jared Dudley (Nuggets), Steve Hetzel (Nets) and Greg St. Jean (Lakers), Fischer notes.
Here are several other coaching rumors from around the NBA:
- K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network continues to hear Sean Sweeney (Spurs), James Borrego (who spent ’25/26 as the Pelicans’ interim coach), Nori, and current Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr. are among the candidates to replace Billy Donovan as Chicago’s head coach (Twitter link). According to Fischer, all four of those coaches are expected to interview for the job, as is Thunder assistant Dave Bliss. Fischer has also been told the Bulls plan to request permission to interview Splitter, but it’s unclear if Portland will grant that request since Splitter is technically still under contract through next season.
- Like Hunter Patterson of The Athletic, Fischer says the Pistons remain fully committed to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, whom the team just signed to a contract extension after advancing to the second round of the playoffs. Bickerstaff’s extension is worth at least $10MM per year, according to Fischer, who confirms Taylor Jenkins received an eight-figure salary as well when he was hired by the Bucks. Jenkins reportedly received a six-year deal.
- Fischer, who previously reported that the Hawks were expected to discuss an extension with Quin Snyder, hears from sources that a new deal between the two sides is now considered imminent. General manager Onsi Saleh praised Snyder after Atlanta was eliminated from the playoffs. As with Bickerstaff and Jenkins, Snyder’s new contract is expected to be around eight figures, Fischer adds.
Trail Blazers Owner Addresses Accusations Of Cheapness, Other Topics
Tom Dundon‘s reputation for thriftiness has become a punchline throughout the NBA since he took over as owner of the Trail Blazers in late March, so it was bound to be a topic when he appeared on the Game Over podcast with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul. Dundon, who also owns the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, told the hosts that he has a track record of being willing to spend to make that franchise successful, Joe Freeman of The Oregonian relays in a subscriber-only story.
“I just don’t want to waste money. I want to invest it,” Dundon said. “I’ll have many masseuses. I’ll have the best food. We’re going to take care of the players, because it helps you win. It’s part of the deal. Some of the stuff about how we’re going to run the business; Portland spends $100MM more a year on their business than the Hurricanes do, not including players.
“The Hurricanes, since I bought the team, have the first or second-best record in the league. So, I’m just not going to waste $100MM, just because somebody wants to write an article calling me cheap. I’m just not going to do it. And so, it’s hard because I don’t think about a budget when it comes to the playing team and how to make sure we win. Some of the stuff that was blamed on money is actually not 100% true.”
Among the stories painting Dundon as cheap was a report in April that he didn’t have two-way players Caleb Love, Chris Youngblood and Jayson Kent travel with the team for the first two games of a playoff series in San Antonio. Dundon called that decision a result of being new to the league, saying he didn’t realize that bringing those players is common practice.
“I just made a mistake. I just don’t understand the league,” he said. “In hockey, we don’t travel extra people, because we’re not on vacation. We’re here to win, so we don’t want a distraction. The NBA seems to live with those distractions. It’s not how I think about it. So, you’ve got to learn what’s the differences between the two leagues.”
Freeman passes on several more Dundon quotes from the interview:
On reports that he had staffers check out of their Phoenix hotel rooms early to avoid paying for an extra day:
“The hotel story with the staff is an interesting story, I think, because, normally, when you travel, you get late checkout, right? In this case, in sports, it’s usually like 5% and never comes up. Because it was last-minute — going to Phoenix, there was no hotels — I guess Phoenix in March is a pretty popular place. So, I had trouble getting hotels. And the hotel really wanted us to be out early because they needed the rooms. And so, they wanted us to pay for a second night. And so, we did that for the coaches and the players. But we got (them) to let us leave at 1 o’clock. And I had a room at the hotel. I was there. So, I’m like, lunch starts at 1:45. We have a huge ballroom with this really nice lunch for everybody. So, I said, ‘Look, we’ll do the players and the coaches. We’ll stay. We’ll pay the extra night. For the staff, we’ve got this big ballroom with food. We’ll go down there and work.’ And everyone was down there. I was down there. I actually learned a lot during that hour, because I got to talk to some of the training staff, etc.
“I would do it again. I think it’s actually pretty stupid to think that people who are there to work, who are being fed, and 45 minutes later — they weren’t in the lobby — they brought their bags down in the room right by where the bus was, right next to my bag. And we sat down there and talked. And if that’s too hard for people, I’m not right for them. I want that culture.”
On whether he’s willing to pay the luxury tax to build a winning team:
“(General manager) Joe (Cronin) called me — and I don’t even know if it was allowed — he called me at the trade deadline. Technically we didn’t own the team yet, (but) he had a deal — actually two different deals — but one in particular where we would have gone into the tax. And it would have been whatever, $20 million. I was fine with it. I want to run the business properly. But I want to win more than I want to make money. And that seems kind of obvious if you’re in this business, right? Winning is the only reason you do it. Why would you buy a team?
“And so, obviously … a lot comes with staying in that tax in the NBA, right? They’ve made the rules in a way that it’s complicated. But to go in strategically because you can pick up a young player or have a chance to win … we would definitely do it. And I’ve got to think most people would. I don’t know many owners that wouldn’t do that. I don’t think we operate any differently. I hope we’re … in a position where going in the tax means we have a chance to win. And if we have a chance to win, the tax is irrelevant.”
On rumors that the Blazers might leave Portland:
“When I bought the Hurricanes, all I heard — because I was from Texas — we were going to move the team to Houston. Moving a team is difficult. We didn’t move the Hurricanes. We ended up getting a deal done. We went through the same thing in Portland. Before I even bought the team, I had an agreement with the city and the state. We had an agreement in principle. They’ve already approved half of it. Assuming that all gets done, then this is a non-story. For me, it’s never been really a thing. We didn’t buy the team to move it. We bought the Portland Trail Blazers.”