Portland Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon pushed back against widespread criticism of his spending habits during an appearance on the “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul. Dundon, who completed his purchase of the Blazers in late March and also owns the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, said his track record in hockey proves he will invest when it helps a team win.
“I just don’t want to waste money. I want to invest it,” he told the hosts. “The Hurricanes, since I bought the team, have had the first- or second-best record in the league. I’m not going to burn an extra $100 million just because someone writes an article calling me cheap.”
Two-way travel controversy
Dundon addressed an April report that two-way players Caleb Love, Chris Youngblood and Jayson Kent were left home for the first two games of a playoff series in San Antonio. He called the decision a misunderstanding of NBA norms.
“In hockey we don’t travel extra people because we’re there to work, not vacation,” he said. “I just didn’t realize the NBA usually brings them.”
Phoenix hotel incident
Reacting to claims that Blazers staffers had to check out of their Phoenix hotel early to avoid paying for another night, Dundon said a room shortage forced the move. He kept rooms for players and coaches but moved other employees to a ballroom for a pre-scheduled 1:45 p.m. team lunch.
“If that’s too hard for people, I’m not right for them. I want that culture,” he added.
Luxury-tax stance
The owner said general manager Joe Cronin phoned him at February’s trade deadline—before the sale officially closed—about a deal that would have pushed Portland roughly $20 million into the luxury tax. Dundon said he immediately approved the idea.
“I want to run the business properly, but I want to win more than I want to make money,” he said. “If we have a chance to win, the tax is irrelevant.”
Relocation rumors
Dundon also dismissed speculation the franchise could leave Portland. He noted he faced similar talk about moving the Hurricanes after buying them and ultimately secured a new arena agreement in Raleigh.
“Before I even bought the Blazers, I had an agreement in principle with the city and state,” he said, adding that half of the deal has already been approved. “We didn’t buy the team to move it. We bought the Portland Trail Blazers.”
The owner said Portland currently spends about $100 million more per year on non-player operations than the Hurricanes but emphasized that any savings will be redirected to areas that, in his view, directly influence victories—such as player care, travel and facilities.
Source: Hoops Rumors
