Ownership changes often bring new optimism, fresh ideas, and renewed hope for a franchise. But for the Portland Trail Blazers, the arrival of a new ownership group led by Tom Dundon has quickly sparked concern instead.
Dundon, who reportedly purchased the team for $4.25 billion, is already under fire for what many around the league see as aggressive cost-cutting measures that clash with standard NBA practices.
Tom Dundon’s Cost-Cutting Decisions Draw League-Wide Criticism
Blazers insider Sean Highkin reported Sunday that Portland was the only playoff team not to bring its two-way players, Caleb Love, Chris Youngblood, and Jayson Kent, on the road for Games 1 and 2. While those players were ineligible to play, teams typically included them in the traveling group, as did all seven other road teams during opening weekend.
Another report painted an even more troubling picture. According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, several Blazers staffers were asked to check out of the team hotel hours before departure on game day to avoid paying for a late checkout.
The reports have triggered strong reactions from fans and media alike.
“In Portland’s only win over San Antonio this season, Caleb Love had 16 points and 5 rebounds. He was one of the reasons they made it here. Absolutely trash decision,” wrote Blazer Banter on X.
Celtics reporter Noa Dalzell remarked: “Wait, this is insane?”
One Blazers influencer, who hosts the “503ForTheFans Podcast,” kept it real: “Dundon is quickly going to make himself a villain in Portland if he keeps this type of sh*t up.”
These concerns follow an earlier report from Bill Oram, which claimed Dundon is aiming to pay around $1 million for the team’s next head coach, roughly a quarter of the typical NBA salary. The franchise is also reportedly not providing playoff shirts for fans during Games 3 and 4.
“The concept of buying an NBA team just to be cheap about it,” wrote pickuphoop on X.
The concept of buying an NBA team just to be cheap about it https://t.co/UiofNJ8Azm pic.twitter.com/QTr34D0M7Z
— pickuphoop (@pickuphoop) April 20, 2026
“You don’t buy a basketball team to turn it into a corporation that needs to deploy as many cost savings structures as possible. This is honestly garbage, and wouldn’t make me feel good if I’m a Blazers fan when you factor in prior report about HC salary,” NBA pundit Nathan Grubel wrote.
“I don’t think I’ve read a single positive thing about the new Blazers owner so far,” added sports influencer Matthew Geist.
The Blazers had been owned by the Allen family since 1988, when Paul Allen purchased the team, with Jody Allen taking over in 2018 after his death. Per his wishes, both the Blazers and the Seattle Seahawks were eventually put up for sale.
Now under Dundon’s leadership, early signs are raising red flags for the Blazers, with SI reporting that Dundon has expressed “sticker shock” at the operational costs of running an NBA franchise.
And if these reports reflect a long-term approach, Portland may be heading into a period of instability rather than renewal.
