![The Trail Blazers’ new owner is a cheapskate billionaire, but there could be a method to his madness There’s always going to be an adjustment period when a team gets a new owner, but the Portland Trail Blazers are getting used to a bizarre new normal of austerity. Tom Dundon, who finalized his purchase of the team last month, is coming under scrutiny for extreme cost-cutting measures that cross well beyond saving money and into nonsensical cheapness.Discussion of Dundon’s ownership practices came under fire this week following two reports from Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. The first stemmed from Dundon taking the weird approach of not having the Blazers’ two-way players travel for road playoff games. It made Portland the only team in the NBA to do so, and while two-way players can’t participate in the games themselves, having them travel with the team is viewed as important for team building. In addition, it’s a moral boost not to leave some members of the team at home, siloed off from the rest of the roster because of their two-way contracts. As Highkin mentions, it’s also extremely insulting to players who were instrumental during the regular season in helping the Blazers make their first playoff run in five years.“[Caleb] Love and Sidy Cissoko were instrumental in getting the Blazers through that stretch of the season, going well beyond the kind of minutes and production that teams with playoff aspirations normally expect from their two-ways.It’s a horrible look for a new owner to come in and nickel and dime a franchise like this, but the second report of Dundon’s cheapness could legitimately damage the future of the Trail Blazers. It’s being reported that interim head coach Tiago Splitter has been low-balled on a long-term contract. Splitter took over the team in October when Chauncey Billups was arrested as part of a federal gambling probe, leading the team to a 42-40 finish, the first time the Blazers have finished above .500 since 2020-21. It was a profound finish under difficult circumstances, with Splitter clearly resonating with the players and having success. Replacing him would be bad enough, but replacing him while trying to offer below-market salary is another entirely. There’s a very real risk that this approach leads to Portland losing their bird in the hand to chase two in the bush, but that’s even assuming those other birds would play for low salary.What is Tom Dundon’s deal?It’s ridiculous to split hairs when it comes to billionaires, but there’s no question Dundon is in the lower-end of the spectrum when it comes to NBA owners. Forbes estimates his net worth at approximately $2.3B — and there’s good reason to watch his pocket when it comes to his decisions to be cheap.In looking at the other team Dundon owns, the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL (which he purchased in 2017), we can see his blueprint for team building, and prior to that we can learn things about his investment track record too. Dundon’s resume is a pattern of conservative investments and growing them over time.The initial money for Dundon’s portfolio came from founding a subprime car financing company in Dallas, which was reprehensible, but allowed him to accumulate significant assets when he sold the business in 2006. From there, he divided his funds into numerous corporations and real estate ventures around Dallas, but most notably, he was the driving force behind investment in TopGolf, which netted him the bulk of his fortune.In 2017, he purchased a controlling 52% of the Carolina Hurricanes for $430M, and amidst relocation fears he reiterated that it was his intention to keep the Hurricanes in Raleigh, North Carolina. In the five years prior to Dundon purchasing the team, the Hurricanes were a mid-tier spender in the NHL, who were intentionally made lean from 2014-to-2016 in anticipation of a sale.The first two years under Dundon’s ownership placed the Hurricanes as one of the league’s lowest spenders. The same kind of penny pinching apparent with the Blazers was present in Carolina too, but in hindsight, this time was used to strip the team back and build it from the foundations. As an owner he fired the majority of the front office, hiring his own general manager and head coach to take the primary roles — while also revamping the team to have one of the most extensive advanced analytics departments in the NHL.There was undeniable cheapness, but not without a plan. The braintrust of the Hurricanes put in place by Dundon weren’t part of the hockey establishment designed to get immediate results, but leaned more towards being disruptors. General manager Don Waddell was a former player with front office experience with the Atlanta Thrashers and Pittsburgh Penguins, who the Winnipeg Jets wanted to retain when they relocated — but Waddell was unwilling to move. The first head coach hiring under the Dundon regime was Ron Brind’Amour, who won a Stanley Cup with the Canes in 2006, and served the team as an assistant coach.Both Waddell and Brind’Amour were hired on “prove it” deals. Low money compared to their peers, with Dundon needing to see results before he invested more money. The team finished 4th in their division in back-to-back seasons to start (an improvement over the 6th place finish the team had prior), and this was enough to see Dundon loosen the purse strings.In 2018-19 the Hurricanes were the biggest spenders in the NHL. In 2020-21 they were one of the five highest-spending clubs in hockey. Since Waddell and Brind’Amour proved their concept there has never been a lack of funds, nor resistance from ownership to spend money to try and attract free agents or make big trades.This season the Carolina Hurricanes finished the regular season as the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference. Since Dundon took over the Canes have been to the playoffs in eight consecutive years, making it to the Eastern Conference Finals three times. The team made one of the biggest free agent signings in hockey last year by inking Nikolaj Ehlers, their core players have all received long-term extensions, Carolina is regarded as having one of the best prospect pools in hockey for a contending team, largely due to the scouting and analytics departments put in place since Dundon’s arrival. He also negotiated an arena renovation plan, which required $300M of public investment and $800M from Dundon and private investors.While the Carolina Hurricanes have been an unbelievable success story, none of this is to say that Dundon’s austerity, slow-build approach will work in the NBA. The financials between the two league are fundamentally different, with the Hurricanes’ highest-paid player making $9.75M this season and the entire roster costing $87M — compared to Jrue Holiday who makes $32.4M, and the Blazers as a whole having $188M in salary. With absolutely all due respect to the NHL, the NBA is a whole other world when it comes to the money needed to own, operate, and have success.It’s apparent that Dundon is taking the same firm, cost-cutting approach that he took with the Carolina Hurricanes at first. However, when applied to the NBA this seems like penny-pinching cheapness without any nuance. The Dundon approach to building the team can work, but it won’t if he plays hardball over things like coaching salary and two-way players traveling. This is a case of needing to understand the culture of the NBA as a whole, then affect change on a team level.Like it or not, it’s unlikely in the NBA to find a quality coach on a low-money “prove it” contract. It will take more upfront investment than Dundon is comfortable with, and he will need to adjust more fully to understanding that his new team is not the NHL. That said, history has shown him to be a true supporter and investor if he can see the return and believes in the direction. The question is whether or not he’s willing to lower his expectations of what success means to him. Getting above .500 and making the playoffs is success in the NBA. It’s something to build off, and he can’t hold back spending money until he sees his team finish Top 3, because that won’t happen without an injection of funds.We’re left with the greatest coin toss in the NBA. Either Dundon will drive the Blazers into the ground and ruin everything that was built this past season, or he will revamp the team and turn a small-market team into an absolute powerhouse, as he did with the Hurricanes. Time will tell where that coin lands. #Trail #Blazers #owner #cheapskate #billionaire #method #madness](https://i3.wp.com/platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/gettyimages-2270622619.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C10.730198805806%2C100%2C78.539602388388&w=1200&ssl=1 "The Trail Blazers’ new owner is a cheapskate billionaire, but there could be a method to his madness There’s always going to be an adjustment period when a team gets a new owner, but the Portland Trail Blazers are getting used to a bizarre new normal of austerity. Tom Dundon, who finalized his purchase of the team last month, is coming under scrutiny for extreme cost-cutting measures that cross well beyond saving money and into nonsensical cheapness.Discussion of Dundon’s ownership practices came under fire this week following two reports from Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. The first stemmed from Dundon taking the weird approach of not having the Blazers’ two-way players travel for road playoff games. It made Portland the only team in the NBA to do so, and while two-way players can’t participate in the games themselves, having them travel with the team is viewed as important for team building. In addition, it’s a moral boost not to leave some members of the team at home, siloed off from the rest of the roster because of their two-way contracts. As Highkin mentions, it’s also extremely insulting to players who were instrumental during the regular season in helping the Blazers make their first playoff run in five years.“[Caleb] Love and Sidy Cissoko were instrumental in getting the Blazers through that stretch of the season, going well beyond the kind of minutes and production that teams with playoff aspirations normally expect from their two-ways.It’s a horrible look for a new owner to come in and nickel and dime a franchise like this, but the second report of Dundon’s cheapness could legitimately damage the future of the Trail Blazers. It’s being reported that interim head coach Tiago Splitter has been low-balled on a long-term contract. Splitter took over the team in October when Chauncey Billups was arrested as part of a federal gambling probe, leading the team to a 42-40 finish, the first time the Blazers have finished above .500 since 2020-21. It was a profound finish under difficult circumstances, with Splitter clearly resonating with the players and having success. Replacing him would be bad enough, but replacing him while trying to offer below-market salary is another entirely. There’s a very real risk that this approach leads to Portland losing their bird in the hand to chase two in the bush, but that’s even assuming those other birds would play for low salary.What is Tom Dundon’s deal?It’s ridiculous to split hairs when it comes to billionaires, but there’s no question Dundon is in the lower-end of the spectrum when it comes to NBA owners. Forbes estimates his net worth at approximately $2.3B — and there’s good reason to watch his pocket when it comes to his decisions to be cheap.In looking at the other team Dundon owns, the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL (which he purchased in 2017), we can see his blueprint for team building, and prior to that we can learn things about his investment track record too. Dundon’s resume is a pattern of conservative investments and growing them over time.The initial money for Dundon’s portfolio came from founding a subprime car financing company in Dallas, which was reprehensible, but allowed him to accumulate significant assets when he sold the business in 2006. From there, he divided his funds into numerous corporations and real estate ventures around Dallas, but most notably, he was the driving force behind investment in TopGolf, which netted him the bulk of his fortune.In 2017, he purchased a controlling 52% of the Carolina Hurricanes for $430M, and amidst relocation fears he reiterated that it was his intention to keep the Hurricanes in Raleigh, North Carolina. In the five years prior to Dundon purchasing the team, the Hurricanes were a mid-tier spender in the NHL, who were intentionally made lean from 2014-to-2016 in anticipation of a sale.The first two years under Dundon’s ownership placed the Hurricanes as one of the league’s lowest spenders. The same kind of penny pinching apparent with the Blazers was present in Carolina too, but in hindsight, this time was used to strip the team back and build it from the foundations. As an owner he fired the majority of the front office, hiring his own general manager and head coach to take the primary roles — while also revamping the team to have one of the most extensive advanced analytics departments in the NHL.There was undeniable cheapness, but not without a plan. The braintrust of the Hurricanes put in place by Dundon weren’t part of the hockey establishment designed to get immediate results, but leaned more towards being disruptors. General manager Don Waddell was a former player with front office experience with the Atlanta Thrashers and Pittsburgh Penguins, who the Winnipeg Jets wanted to retain when they relocated — but Waddell was unwilling to move. The first head coach hiring under the Dundon regime was Ron Brind’Amour, who won a Stanley Cup with the Canes in 2006, and served the team as an assistant coach.Both Waddell and Brind’Amour were hired on “prove it” deals. Low money compared to their peers, with Dundon needing to see results before he invested more money. The team finished 4th in their division in back-to-back seasons to start (an improvement over the 6th place finish the team had prior), and this was enough to see Dundon loosen the purse strings.In 2018-19 the Hurricanes were the biggest spenders in the NHL. In 2020-21 they were one of the five highest-spending clubs in hockey. Since Waddell and Brind’Amour proved their concept there has never been a lack of funds, nor resistance from ownership to spend money to try and attract free agents or make big trades.This season the Carolina Hurricanes finished the regular season as the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference. Since Dundon took over the Canes have been to the playoffs in eight consecutive years, making it to the Eastern Conference Finals three times. The team made one of the biggest free agent signings in hockey last year by inking Nikolaj Ehlers, their core players have all received long-term extensions, Carolina is regarded as having one of the best prospect pools in hockey for a contending team, largely due to the scouting and analytics departments put in place since Dundon’s arrival. He also negotiated an arena renovation plan, which required $300M of public investment and $800M from Dundon and private investors.While the Carolina Hurricanes have been an unbelievable success story, none of this is to say that Dundon’s austerity, slow-build approach will work in the NBA. The financials between the two league are fundamentally different, with the Hurricanes’ highest-paid player making $9.75M this season and the entire roster costing $87M — compared to Jrue Holiday who makes $32.4M, and the Blazers as a whole having $188M in salary. With absolutely all due respect to the NHL, the NBA is a whole other world when it comes to the money needed to own, operate, and have success.It’s apparent that Dundon is taking the same firm, cost-cutting approach that he took with the Carolina Hurricanes at first. However, when applied to the NBA this seems like penny-pinching cheapness without any nuance. The Dundon approach to building the team can work, but it won’t if he plays hardball over things like coaching salary and two-way players traveling. This is a case of needing to understand the culture of the NBA as a whole, then affect change on a team level.Like it or not, it’s unlikely in the NBA to find a quality coach on a low-money “prove it” contract. It will take more upfront investment than Dundon is comfortable with, and he will need to adjust more fully to understanding that his new team is not the NHL. That said, history has shown him to be a true supporter and investor if he can see the return and believes in the direction. The question is whether or not he’s willing to lower his expectations of what success means to him. Getting above .500 and making the playoffs is success in the NBA. It’s something to build off, and he can’t hold back spending money until he sees his team finish Top 3, because that won’t happen without an injection of funds.We’re left with the greatest coin toss in the NBA. Either Dundon will drive the Blazers into the ground and ruin everything that was built this past season, or he will revamp the team and turn a small-market team into an absolute powerhouse, as he did with the Hurricanes. Time will tell where that coin lands. #Trail #Blazers #owner #cheapskate #billionaire #method #madness")
The Trail Blazers’ new owner is a cheapskate billionaire, but there could be a method to his madness There’s always going to be an adjustment period when a team gets a new owner, but the Portland Trail Blazers are getting used to a bizarre new normal of austerity. Tom Dundon, who finalized his purchase of the team last month, is coming under scrutiny for extreme cost-cutting measures that cross well beyond saving money and into nonsensical cheapness.
Discussion of Dundon’s ownership practices came under fire this week following two reports from Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. The first stemmed from Dundon taking the weird approach of not having the Blazers’ two-way players travel for road playoff games. It made Portland the only team in the NBA to do so, and while two-way players can’t participate in the games themselves, having them travel with the team is viewed as important for team building. In addition, it’s a moral boost not to leave some members of the team at home, siloed off from the rest of the roster because of their two-way contracts. As Highkin mentions, it’s also extremely insulting to players who were instrumental during the regular season in helping the Blazers make their first playoff run in five years.
“[Caleb] Love and Sidy Cissoko were instrumental in getting the Blazers through that stretch of the season, going well beyond the kind of minutes and production that teams with playoff aspirations normally expect from their two-ways.
It’s a horrible look for a new owner to come in and nickel and dime a franchise like this, but the second report of Dundon’s cheapness could legitimately damage the future of the Trail Blazers. It’s being reported that interim head coach Tiago Splitter has been low-balled on a long-term contract. Splitter took over the team in October when Chauncey Billups was arrested as part of a federal gambling probe, leading the team to a 42-40 finish, the first time the Blazers have finished above .500 since 2020-21. It was a profound finish under difficult circumstances, with Splitter clearly resonating with the players and having success. Replacing him would be bad enough, but replacing him while trying to offer below-market salary is another entirely. There’s a very real risk that this approach leads to Portland losing their bird in the hand to chase two in the bush, but that’s even assuming those other birds would play for low salary.
What is Tom Dundon’s deal?
It’s ridiculous to split hairs when it comes to billionaires, but there’s no question Dundon is in the lower-end of the spectrum when it comes to NBA owners. Forbes estimates his net worth at approximately $2.3B — and there’s good reason to watch his pocket when it comes to his decisions to be cheap.
In looking at the other team Dundon owns, the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL (which he purchased in 2017), we can see his blueprint for team building, and prior to that we can learn things about his investment track record too. Dundon’s resume is a pattern of conservative investments and growing them over time.
The initial money for Dundon’s portfolio came from founding a subprime car financing company in Dallas, which was reprehensible, but allowed him to accumulate significant assets when he sold the business in 2006. From there, he divided his funds into numerous corporations and real estate ventures around Dallas, but most notably, he was the driving force behind investment in TopGolf, which netted him the bulk of his fortune.
In 2017, he purchased a controlling 52% of the Carolina Hurricanes for $430M, and amidst relocation fears he reiterated that it was his intention to keep the Hurricanes in Raleigh, North Carolina. In the five years prior to Dundon purchasing the team, the Hurricanes were a mid-tier spender in the NHL, who were intentionally made lean from 2014-to-2016 in anticipation of a sale.
The first two years under Dundon’s ownership placed the Hurricanes as one of the league’s lowest spenders. The same kind of penny pinching apparent with the Blazers was present in Carolina too, but in hindsight, this time was used to strip the team back and build it from the foundations. As an owner he fired the majority of the front office, hiring his own general manager and head coach to take the primary roles — while also revamping the team to have one of the most extensive advanced analytics departments in the NHL.
There was undeniable cheapness, but not without a plan. The braintrust of the Hurricanes put in place by Dundon weren’t part of the hockey establishment designed to get immediate results, but leaned more towards being disruptors. General manager Don Waddell was a former player with front office experience with the Atlanta Thrashers and Pittsburgh Penguins, who the Winnipeg Jets wanted to retain when they relocated — but Waddell was unwilling to move. The first head coach hiring under the Dundon regime was Ron Brind’Amour, who won a Stanley Cup with the Canes in 2006, and served the team as an assistant coach.
Both Waddell and Brind’Amour were hired on “prove it” deals. Low money compared to their peers, with Dundon needing to see results before he invested more money. The team finished 4th in their division in back-to-back seasons to start (an improvement over the 6th place finish the team had prior), and this was enough to see Dundon loosen the purse strings.
In 2018-19 the Hurricanes were the biggest spenders in the NHL. In 2020-21 they were one of the five highest-spending clubs in hockey. Since Waddell and Brind’Amour proved their concept there has never been a lack of funds, nor resistance from ownership to spend money to try and attract free agents or make big trades.
This season the Carolina Hurricanes finished the regular season as the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference. Since Dundon took over the Canes have been to the playoffs in eight consecutive years, making it to the Eastern Conference Finals three times. The team made one of the biggest free agent signings in hockey last year by inking Nikolaj Ehlers, their core players have all received long-term extensions, Carolina is regarded as having one of the best prospect pools in hockey for a contending team, largely due to the scouting and analytics departments put in place since Dundon’s arrival. He also negotiated an arena renovation plan, which required $300M of public investment and $800M from Dundon and private investors.
While the Carolina Hurricanes have been an unbelievable success story, none of this is to say that Dundon’s austerity, slow-build approach will work in the NBA. The financials between the two league are fundamentally different, with the Hurricanes’ highest-paid player making $9.75M this season and the entire roster costing $87M — compared to Jrue Holiday who makes $32.4M, and the Blazers as a whole having $188M in salary. With absolutely all due respect to the NHL, the NBA is a whole other world when it comes to the money needed to own, operate, and have success.
It’s apparent that Dundon is taking the same firm, cost-cutting approach that he took with the Carolina Hurricanes at first. However, when applied to the NBA this seems like penny-pinching cheapness without any nuance. The Dundon approach to building the team can work, but it won’t if he plays hardball over things like coaching salary and two-way players traveling. This is a case of needing to understand the culture of the NBA as a whole, then affect change on a team level.
Like it or not, it’s unlikely in the NBA to find a quality coach on a low-money “prove it” contract. It will take more upfront investment than Dundon is comfortable with, and he will need to adjust more fully to understanding that his new team is not the NHL. That said, history has shown him to be a true supporter and investor if he can see the return and believes in the direction. The question is whether or not he’s willing to lower his expectations of what success means to him. Getting above .500 and making the playoffs is success in the NBA. It’s something to build off, and he can’t hold back spending money until he sees his team finish Top 3, because that won’t happen without an injection of funds.
We’re left with the greatest coin toss in the NBA. Either Dundon will drive the Blazers into the ground and ruin everything that was built this past season, or he will revamp the team and turn a small-market team into an absolute powerhouse, as he did with the Hurricanes. Time will tell where that coin lands.
#Trail #Blazers #owner #cheapskate #billionaire #method #madness
There’s always going to be an adjustment period when a team gets a new owner, but the Portland Trail Blazers are getting used to a bizarre new normal of austerity. Tom Dundon, who finalized his purchase of the team last month, is coming under scrutiny for extreme cost-cutting measures that cross well beyond saving money and into nonsensical cheapness.
Discussion of Dundon’s ownership practices came under fire this week following two reports from Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. The first stemmed from Dundon taking the weird approach of not having the Blazers’ two-way players travel for road playoff games. It made Portland the only team in the NBA to do so, and while two-way players can’t participate in the games themselves, having them travel with the team is viewed as important for team building. In addition, it’s a moral boost not to leave some members of the team at home, siloed off from the rest of the roster because of their two-way contracts. As Highkin mentions, it’s also extremely insulting to players who were instrumental during the regular season in helping the Blazers make their first playoff run in five years.
“[Caleb] Love and Sidy Cissoko were instrumental in getting the Blazers through that stretch of the season, going well beyond the kind of minutes and production that teams with playoff aspirations normally expect from their two-ways.
It’s a horrible look for a new owner to come in and nickel and dime a franchise like this, but the second report of Dundon’s cheapness could legitimately damage the future of the Trail Blazers. It’s being reported that interim head coach Tiago Splitter has been low-balled on a long-term contract. Splitter took over the team in October when Chauncey Billups was arrested as part of a federal gambling probe, leading the team to a 42-40 finish, the first time the Blazers have finished above .500 since 2020-21. It was a profound finish under difficult circumstances, with Splitter clearly resonating with the players and having success. Replacing him would be bad enough, but replacing him while trying to offer below-market salary is another entirely. There’s a very real risk that this approach leads to Portland losing their bird in the hand to chase two in the bush, but that’s even assuming those other birds would play for low salary.
What is Tom Dundon’s deal?
It’s ridiculous to split hairs when it comes to billionaires, but there’s no question Dundon is in the lower-end of the spectrum when it comes to NBA owners. Forbes estimates his net worth at approximately $2.3B — and there’s good reason to watch his pocket when it comes to his decisions to be cheap.
In looking at the other team Dundon owns, the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL (which he purchased in 2017), we can see his blueprint for team building, and prior to that we can learn things about his investment track record too. Dundon’s resume is a pattern of conservative investments and growing them over time.
The initial money for Dundon’s portfolio came from founding a subprime car financing company in Dallas, which was reprehensible, but allowed him to accumulate significant assets when he sold the business in 2006. From there, he divided his funds into numerous corporations and real estate ventures around Dallas, but most notably, he was the driving force behind investment in TopGolf, which netted him the bulk of his fortune.
In 2017, he purchased a controlling 52% of the Carolina Hurricanes for $430M, and amidst relocation fears he reiterated that it was his intention to keep the Hurricanes in Raleigh, North Carolina. In the five years prior to Dundon purchasing the team, the Hurricanes were a mid-tier spender in the NHL, who were intentionally made lean from 2014-to-2016 in anticipation of a sale.
The first two years under Dundon’s ownership placed the Hurricanes as one of the league’s lowest spenders. The same kind of penny pinching apparent with the Blazers was present in Carolina too, but in hindsight, this time was used to strip the team back and build it from the foundations. As an owner he fired the majority of the front office, hiring his own general manager and head coach to take the primary roles — while also revamping the team to have one of the most extensive advanced analytics departments in the NHL.
There was undeniable cheapness, but not without a plan. The braintrust of the Hurricanes put in place by Dundon weren’t part of the hockey establishment designed to get immediate results, but leaned more towards being disruptors. General manager Don Waddell was a former player with front office experience with the Atlanta Thrashers and Pittsburgh Penguins, who the Winnipeg Jets wanted to retain when they relocated — but Waddell was unwilling to move. The first head coach hiring under the Dundon regime was Ron Brind’Amour, who won a Stanley Cup with the Canes in 2006, and served the team as an assistant coach.
Both Waddell and Brind’Amour were hired on “prove it” deals. Low money compared to their peers, with Dundon needing to see results before he invested more money. The team finished 4th in their division in back-to-back seasons to start (an improvement over the 6th place finish the team had prior), and this was enough to see Dundon loosen the purse strings.
In 2018-19 the Hurricanes were the biggest spenders in the NHL. In 2020-21 they were one of the five highest-spending clubs in hockey. Since Waddell and Brind’Amour proved their concept there has never been a lack of funds, nor resistance from ownership to spend money to try and attract free agents or make big trades.
This season the Carolina Hurricanes finished the regular season as the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference. Since Dundon took over the Canes have been to the playoffs in eight consecutive years, making it to the Eastern Conference Finals three times. The team made one of the biggest free agent signings in hockey last year by inking Nikolaj Ehlers, their core players have all received long-term extensions, Carolina is regarded as having one of the best prospect pools in hockey for a contending team, largely due to the scouting and analytics departments put in place since Dundon’s arrival. He also negotiated an arena renovation plan, which required $300M of public investment and $800M from Dundon and private investors.
While the Carolina Hurricanes have been an unbelievable success story, none of this is to say that Dundon’s austerity, slow-build approach will work in the NBA. The financials between the two league are fundamentally different, with the Hurricanes’ highest-paid player making $9.75M this season and the entire roster costing $87M — compared to Jrue Holiday who makes $32.4M, and the Blazers as a whole having $188M in salary. With absolutely all due respect to the NHL, the NBA is a whole other world when it comes to the money needed to own, operate, and have success.
It’s apparent that Dundon is taking the same firm, cost-cutting approach that he took with the Carolina Hurricanes at first. However, when applied to the NBA this seems like penny-pinching cheapness without any nuance. The Dundon approach to building the team can work, but it won’t if he plays hardball over things like coaching salary and two-way players traveling. This is a case of needing to understand the culture of the NBA as a whole, then affect change on a team level.
Like it or not, it’s unlikely in the NBA to find a quality coach on a low-money “prove it” contract. It will take more upfront investment than Dundon is comfortable with, and he will need to adjust more fully to understanding that his new team is not the NHL. That said, history has shown him to be a true supporter and investor if he can see the return and believes in the direction. The question is whether or not he’s willing to lower his expectations of what success means to him. Getting above .500 and making the playoffs is success in the NBA. It’s something to build off, and he can’t hold back spending money until he sees his team finish Top 3, because that won’t happen without an injection of funds.
We’re left with the greatest coin toss in the NBA. Either Dundon will drive the Blazers into the ground and ruin everything that was built this past season, or he will revamp the team and turn a small-market team into an absolute powerhouse, as he did with the Hurricanes. Time will tell where that coin lands.
![Kevin Knight is here, he’s hungry, and ready to take over AEW Kevin Knight’s rise has been nothing short of stratospheric. A year that began with Knight having a promising run as one of All Elite Wrestling’s up-and-coming stars morphed over the course of 2026 into something much, much larger. Knight captured individual gold by winning the TNT Championship in April, and now he’s on the precipice of the biggest match of his career. Knight will stand across the ring from AEW World Champion Kenny Omega at Redemption in Montreal, headlining a pay-per-view and looking to shatter expectations in the process.I talked with Knight this week in the lead up to his match against Omega to learn what makes him tick as a wrestler, understand the decision behind joining The Don Callis Family, and learn that in a world of heroes and villans, Knight is perfectly comfortable to exist in the grey area.A turning point for Knight came in May at Double or Nothing when he shocked the world by turning on Darby Allin and joining with Don Callis to close the show. It felt like a staggering rejection of his role as fan-favorite inside the company, but it was clinical for Knight. This wasn’t about trying to become hated, but trying to elevate himself.“The goal has stayed the same,” Knight says, “become Jet 2 Belts.” Not only does he want to hold onto his TNT title, but to win the AEW World Championship as well, asserting himself at the top. “I saw the opportunity to overtake this company after Double or Nothing and figured I need to invest in myself.“Getting myself with the Don Callis Family and, seeing how he moves and how, how he’s brought so many championships to AEW, it was a no-brainer, and it’s been nothing but success ever since.”Knight speaks plainly in a business so influenced by emotion. Joining Callis wasn’t a conscious decision to make fans angry or to reject his longtime friend “Speedball” Mike Bailey, but came about organically, as with any difficult change an athlete needs to make. The NFL player demanding a trade, the NBA star making a decision — Knight is walking the same line.“He’s [Callis] been here from day one, and he’s seen people come and go. He’s seen all different types of performers, so he snatched me up. I was tagged with Speedball Mike Bailey, and he had a smile, and he was just naive to the politics of it all. [Don’s] smartened me up, giving me another angle, another perspective in attacking this game that we call wrestling.”If pro wrestling is a game, then Kenny Omega is its final boss. Not only is “The Best Bout Machine” the world champion, but he is also regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Knight might have faced a lot of challenges, but fighting Omega in Canada for a championship is on a different level. Still, Knight feels like he might have an edge — and he’s excited to“Always attack his weaknesses, attacking his weaknesses and, and knowing who he is as a person, and, and capitalizing on those weaknesses. Don Callis has known Kenny a long, long, long time, so he’s priming me up. He’s giving me some game on Kenny’s blind spots. We all love Kenny as a person, but he’s careless in some ways — so, whenever I see those openings, I’m definitely gonna definitely going to attack, take advantage.”It’s not lost on Knight that a majority of wrestling fans are writing him off on Sunday. The lingering perception is that Omega will win, move on to All In at Wembley Stadium, and have another epic match against Will Ospreay. That’s a narrative Knight isn’t willing to accept.“People are expecting this long-life anime fantasy between Omega and Osprey. Redemption is gonna be a change of course, and we’re gonna see a new era. We’re gonna see a new superstar rise to the top. I laugh at the people who look past this match. I use it as more fuel, because I love being a spoiler.”It’s big talk, but Kevin Knight has backed it up in recent months. He’s on a nine-match win streak, perfectly part of his “vision board,” which includes winning the AEW World Heavyweight Title, and then involves becoming the face of the company.“If all goes to plan, Jet Two Belts becomes a reality this upcoming Sunday, and I don’t see myself relinquishing it for anybody, that comes my way. I think I will let up and maybe relinquish the TNT title or, you know, let the other people have a little bit of fun. don’t wanna take up all the time at AEW, but AEW is gonna be set up in the next 6 months if The Jet is on top.”The groundwork for this run, this chance at the championship is built on the backs of people who lifted up Kevin Knight along the way. I asked him for his personal wrestling Mount Rushmore, the individuals who have meant the most to him during his career.“Katsuyori Shibata and Kushida, because they helped mold me. From a young lion to my first couple of tours in New Japan and being able to do Impact as well alongside Kushida. Those two guys definitely mean a lot to me. I gotta throw in there Speedball Mike Bailey because one of my first tours in Japan, one of my first matches in TNA/ Impact was against him, and then, of course, our whole run as Jet Speed and everything that we’ve been able to accomplish together. It means a lot to me, on a sentimental level. Fourth, I would like to give it up to Tony Khan just for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to go out there and show the world who and what I am, giving me the opportunity to try new things and just always encouraging me.”This is only the beginning for Kevin Knight, who will be a staple of the pro-wrestling landscape for a long, long time — win or lose.Kevin Knight will face Kenny Omega at AEW Redemption, which will air on Sunday, July 26 from CentreBell in Montreal, Canada, beginning at 6 p.m. ET #Kevin #Knight #hes #hungry #ready #AEW](https://i1.wp.com/platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/knight.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C4.865499187579%2C100%2C90.269001624842&ssl=1 "Kevin Knight is here, he’s hungry, and ready to take over AEW Kevin Knight’s rise has been nothing short of stratospheric. A year that began with Knight having a promising run as one of All Elite Wrestling’s up-and-coming stars morphed over the course of 2026 into something much, much larger. Knight captured individual gold by winning the TNT Championship in April, and now he’s on the precipice of the biggest match of his career. Knight will stand across the ring from AEW World Champion Kenny Omega at Redemption in Montreal, headlining a pay-per-view and looking to shatter expectations in the process.I talked with Knight this week in the lead up to his match against Omega to learn what makes him tick as a wrestler, understand the decision behind joining The Don Callis Family, and learn that in a world of heroes and villans, Knight is perfectly comfortable to exist in the grey area.A turning point for Knight came in May at Double or Nothing when he shocked the world by turning on Darby Allin and joining with Don Callis to close the show. It felt like a staggering rejection of his role as fan-favorite inside the company, but it was clinical for Knight. This wasn’t about trying to become hated, but trying to elevate himself.“The goal has stayed the same,” Knight says, “become Jet 2 Belts.” Not only does he want to hold onto his TNT title, but to win the AEW World Championship as well, asserting himself at the top. “I saw the opportunity to overtake this company after Double or Nothing and figured I need to invest in myself.“Getting myself with the Don Callis Family and, seeing how he moves and how, how he’s brought so many championships to AEW, it was a no-brainer, and it’s been nothing but success ever since.”Knight speaks plainly in a business so influenced by emotion. Joining Callis wasn’t a conscious decision to make fans angry or to reject his longtime friend “Speedball” Mike Bailey, but came about organically, as with any difficult change an athlete needs to make. The NFL player demanding a trade, the NBA star making a decision — Knight is walking the same line.“He’s [Callis] been here from day one, and he’s seen people come and go. He’s seen all different types of performers, so he snatched me up. I was tagged with Speedball Mike Bailey, and he had a smile, and he was just naive to the politics of it all. [Don’s] smartened me up, giving me another angle, another perspective in attacking this game that we call wrestling.”If pro wrestling is a game, then Kenny Omega is its final boss. Not only is “The Best Bout Machine” the world champion, but he is also regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Knight might have faced a lot of challenges, but fighting Omega in Canada for a championship is on a different level. Still, Knight feels like he might have an edge — and he’s excited to“Always attack his weaknesses, attacking his weaknesses and, and knowing who he is as a person, and, and capitalizing on those weaknesses. Don Callis has known Kenny a long, long, long time, so he’s priming me up. He’s giving me some game on Kenny’s blind spots. We all love Kenny as a person, but he’s careless in some ways — so, whenever I see those openings, I’m definitely gonna definitely going to attack, take advantage.”It’s not lost on Knight that a majority of wrestling fans are writing him off on Sunday. The lingering perception is that Omega will win, move on to All In at Wembley Stadium, and have another epic match against Will Ospreay. That’s a narrative Knight isn’t willing to accept.“People are expecting this long-life anime fantasy between Omega and Osprey. Redemption is gonna be a change of course, and we’re gonna see a new era. We’re gonna see a new superstar rise to the top. I laugh at the people who look past this match. I use it as more fuel, because I love being a spoiler.”It’s big talk, but Kevin Knight has backed it up in recent months. He’s on a nine-match win streak, perfectly part of his “vision board,” which includes winning the AEW World Heavyweight Title, and then involves becoming the face of the company.“If all goes to plan, Jet Two Belts becomes a reality this upcoming Sunday, and I don’t see myself relinquishing it for anybody, that comes my way. I think I will let up and maybe relinquish the TNT title or, you know, let the other people have a little bit of fun. don’t wanna take up all the time at AEW, but AEW is gonna be set up in the next 6 months if The Jet is on top.”The groundwork for this run, this chance at the championship is built on the backs of people who lifted up Kevin Knight along the way. I asked him for his personal wrestling Mount Rushmore, the individuals who have meant the most to him during his career.“Katsuyori Shibata and Kushida, because they helped mold me. From a young lion to my first couple of tours in New Japan and being able to do Impact as well alongside Kushida. Those two guys definitely mean a lot to me. I gotta throw in there Speedball Mike Bailey because one of my first tours in Japan, one of my first matches in TNA/ Impact was against him, and then, of course, our whole run as Jet Speed and everything that we’ve been able to accomplish together. It means a lot to me, on a sentimental level. Fourth, I would like to give it up to Tony Khan just for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to go out there and show the world who and what I am, giving me the opportunity to try new things and just always encouraging me.”This is only the beginning for Kevin Knight, who will be a staple of the pro-wrestling landscape for a long, long time — win or lose.Kevin Knight will face Kenny Omega at AEW Redemption, which will air on Sunday, July 26 from CentreBell in Montreal, Canada, beginning at 6 p.m. ET #Kevin #Knight #hes #hungry #ready #AEW")
Post Comment