Blazers' Tom Dundon Doesn't Care About Stepping on Toes

Tom Dundon's tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers has been very bumpy in the first few months, but he doesn't care how it's perceived.

Tom Dundon before a game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the New Orleans Pelicans | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Portland Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon is unlike any other of his kind in the NBA.

The league's newest owner, who was officially appointed in March, is choosing to run his organization a bit differently than others, which could be rubbing people the wrong way on the outside. However, Dundon doesn't seem to care much about how people feel about his business decisions.

What's most striking about the early days of the Dundon era is how little he cares about the impact of the bad press. The Blazers built positive momentum by reaching the playoffs last season, and their 2026-27 campaign will feature Damian Lillard's feel-good comeback to the Rose City," ESPN contributor Ben Golliver wrote.

"Rather than ride that wave of optimism, Dundon has sought to rock the boat as hard as possible to further his long-term financial interests. Multiple longtime team employees who survived the job cuts expressed misgivings over Dundon's leadership approach, raising concerns about its impact on the organization's culture and direction."

Tom Dundon's Moves Could Lead Blazers Down the Wrong Path

Tom Dundon talks with the media | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dundon has not done himself any favors with the Blazers fan base, making several unpopular moves to get to where he's at. All of these decisions could eventually come to a boiling point, with the team looking to renegotiate a new arena deal with the city of Portland.

So far, those negotiations have not been positive, raising the question of whether Dundon is looking to relocate the franchise. All of these decisions have done nothing but irk the fanbase, so why would Dundon want to keep the team in Portland when the city officials and fanbase aren't on his side?

If relocation were truly in the cards, it would take a lot for it to get done. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is in support of keeping the Blazers in Portland, where they have been since their inception in 1970.

How Tom Dundon Can Save the Blazers

Winning solves everything in terms of sports franchises. While there are a lot of things surrounding the Blazers apart from the wins and losses on the court, if Portland has the best basketball team in the league, nothing from the outside would matter to the fans.

During the offseason, it's easy to forget about the wins and losses on the court when there aren't any games to play. Dundon has taken the spotlight and he has put it on himself for now, but he won't have a chance to take it off until the season begins.