Chris Mannix’s NBA Notes: Blazers Owner Tom Dundon Deserves Some Leeway in New League

Plus, how will Jamahl Mosley fit in with the Pelicans’ tricky situation and what will Jalen Duren’s next contract be worth?

Portland Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon recently spoke about some of his cost-cutting measures that rattled NBA fans. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

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Tom Dundon goes on defense

In his first extended on-camera interview, Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon kinda pushed back on the avalanche of reports of him cutting corners to save a buck. Appearing on the Game Over podcast, Dundon didn’t exactly deny Sports Illustrated’s report that the team refused to pay a late checkout fee the day of Portland’s play-in game against Phoenix. Dundon said the hotel wanted the team to pay for an extra night, which he did for players and coaches, while setting staffers up in a catered ballroom. As for leaving the two-way players home for the first two games of the opening-round series against San Antonio, Dundon chalked it up to inexperience. 

“I made a mistake,” Dundon said. “I just don’t understand the league. In hockey, we don’t travel extra players, because we’re not on vacation, we’re here to win so we don’t want the distraction. In the NBA, they seem to live with those distractions. That’s not how I think about it. So you’ve got to learn, what’s the difference between the two leagues?”

Dundon certainly deserves some leeway. His success in the NHL—the Carolina Hurricanes have advanced to two conference finals during his ownership and had the league’s second-best record this season—is among the reasons the NBA liked him. And Dundon does have a history of paying players in hockey. That’s encouraging for a fan base that has watched its coaching search look like a construction bid—as in who will take the lowest offer.

Still, Dundon’s history of cost cutting with staff is concerning. There’s a tax that comes with owning a small-market NBA team. You have to treat staff better—in pay and in perks—to get the best to want to work there. Ask the folks in Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Cleveland. Portland is a beautiful city. Its wineries—and I’ve been to many of them—are second to none. But it’s a small market with a nasty climate for most of the NBA season. Franchises like that need carrots to lure top talent. 

Maybe Dundon will get there. But his decisions have ranged from bizarre (not immediately re-upping Tiago Splitter after Splitter guided the team to the postseason) to downright insulting (the idea that two-way players would be some kind of “distraction”). And formidable small-market franchises like the Spurs and Thunder invest heavily in infrastructure. We’ll see if the Blazers in the Dundon era do the same.

Jamahl Mosley’s next move

The Pelicans’ decision to hire recently deposed Magic coach Jamahl Mosley as the next head coach was a smart move. Mosley has a strong history of player development, guiding a young Orlando team from 22 wins in his first season to 47 in his third. Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs all developed on Mosley’s watch, and while this season was disappointing, Mosley has a track record that undoubtedly was appealing to the Joe Dumars–led New Orleans front office. 

The Pels job, though, is a little tricky. Will New Orleans keep Zion Williamson? All indications are that Williamson will stick this offseason, at least that is what the Pelicans telegraphed to coaching candidates. Williamson played 62 games this season, the second most of his career, and has two full years left on his contract. Will there be pressure to play Derik Queen? New Orleans made a big bet on Queen last June and expects to see results. There’s plenty of upside with the Pelicans. But a lot of questions, too. 

Jamahl Mosley was hired as the next New Orleans Pelicans coach on Monday. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

What is Jalen Duren’s next contract worth?

If Jalen Duren’s season ended in April, the Pistons center likely would have been headed toward a max (or near-max) contract. Duren was one of the breakout stars of the 2025–26 season, nearly doubling his scoring average (19.5 points per game) while emerging as a defensive anchor on a 60-win team. When Cade Cunningham went down with a lung injury late in the season, it was Duren who powered Detroit to its strong finish. 

The postseason, though, was rough. Duren averaged 10.2 points. His rebounding (8.5) dipped to single digits. He shot 51.4% from the floor, well below the 65% he connected on in the regular season. Many of the Pistons’ concerns when discussing an extension with Duren last summer—shot creation, decision-making, finishing over length—came roaring back. Several rival executives say they peg Duren at $25 million to $30 million per season, great money, but well below the five-year, $239 million deal Duren is eligible for. That could make for an interesting contract negotiation. 

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