Tom Dundon's Cost-Cutting Tactics Raise Concerns as Portland Trail Blazers Owner

The NBA officially approved the sale of the Portland Trail Blazers to a group led by Dallas billionaire Tom Dundon on March 29, 2024, at a valuation of approximately $4.25 billion. Dundon, already the owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, appeared to fit the profile of an NBA franchise owner. His background includes subprime lending, businesses recently investigated by Oregon for predatory practices, and investments in professional pickleball.

However, just one month into his ownership, Dundon has already cultivated a reputation for extreme frugality within the NBA industry.

Coach Salary Caps Raise Eyebrows

When Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was arrested in October as part of a federal gambling investigation, the team needed an interim replacement. Tiago Splitter was named interim coach, but Dundon’s hiring strategy reportedly includes a strict budget: no more than $1.5 million annually for the head coach’s salary, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. This figure falls well below the NBA’s market rate for head coaches, making the offer highly unlikely to attract top-tier candidates.

Cutting Corners on Small Expenses

Dundon’s cost-cutting extends beyond coaching salaries. Recent reports from Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix revealed that Blazers staff were forced to check out of a hotel lobby to avoid late checkout fees. Additionally, playoff traditions are being reconsidered: while NBA teams typically provide free T-shirts to fans during playoff games, the Trail Blazers will not offer them for this series, according to team president Dewayne Hankins. Investor Sheel Tyle tweeted that the team will instead provide “something else,” leaving fans speculating about the alternative.