First Impressions of the Tom Dundon Era | Trail Blazers Fined for Draft Tampering with Yang Hansen
It’s a new era with a new owner in Portland. We break down the early impressions of the Tom Dundon ownership transfer two days into the Post-Allen Trail Blazers. Plus, the team was fined $100,000 for illegal contact with Yang Hansen back in 2023. Whoops.
Bill Oram’s story on Tom Dundon in The Oregonian/OregonLive: https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2026/04/tom-dundon-levels-challenge-to-trail-blazers-as-he-takes-over-as-franchises-owner-bill-oram.html
Jason Quick’s Q&A with Tom Dundon in The Athletic: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7163115/2026/04/01/tom-dundon-trail-blazers-owner-sale-nba/
Quick’s profile of Sheel Tyle: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7143606/2026/04/01/meet-sheel-tyle-the-new-local-blazers-co-owner-intent-on-keeping-the-team-in-portland/
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21 Comments
Breaking News: Dundon is a Dick 😂
Fingers crossed for more committed language towards Portland after the Arena funding deal closes.
Doesn’t the tampering affair make firing the front office easier?
Panda Express went to Oregon State, local connection there
New Jerseys pleaseee !!! a logo refresh would be cool too. Dundon era…. what ya got ?
When you ask AI about Dundon's reputation this is what you get.
"Tom Dundon, who purchased the Carolina Hurricanes in 2018, is known as a highly involved, analytics-driven owner who transformed the team into a perennial Stanley Cup contender. While recognized for investing in the team and improving fan experience, his hands-on management style has earned him a reputation among some NHL agents as being overly involved, at times acting as a "de facto GM"
So yes while hockey is dfferent this is a good desription of his style of ownership.
I think he's similar to the way Mark Cuban entered the league. Full of himself and coming off like an asshole willingly. Cuban paid a ton of fines for being arrogant and challenging the league. He was the first owner to send tape of missed calls to the league front office after every game. Refs started backing off the Mavs on the whistle afterwards. I thought initially Cuban was an uber asshole but now I think he's a really invested passionate owner who treats his people well. Let's hope Dundon is cut from the same cloth. Sounds like he may very well clean house this off season. I think Joe will be gone given his closeness with Chauncey. Dundon probably wants to distance himself from that situation. I think not having a lot of cash after buying the team he may very well keep Tiago on the cheap.
Good breakdown Mike! I appreciate your take on the franchise.
Curious if anyone else caught the blazers broadcast. (His literal first appearance/first official game as owner) he was shown having a pretty animated conversation with Joe Cronin. Could have been nothing! but it didn’t help he was standing over him lmao.
Quick is quick to stir his own pot.
Conference Won-Lost Percentage is the most likely "deciding" tiebreaker if Blazers Clippers split the head-to-head series and Blazers win the last head-to-head. It measures their record against all Western Conference opponents.
Blazers Current: 25–21 in the West.
Clippers Current: 22–23 in the West.
Analysis: As of early April, Portland holds a significant advantage here. If they maintain this gap, Portland would win the tiebreaker and take the higher seed.
Another guy who wants to be paid to be rich.
I remember when dude bought the Sonics and said they planned to stay. Welp.
Sounds like the new owner has "the smartest guy in the room" mentality and makes sure everyone knows it.
Something doesn't smell right about this whole team sale issue. If professional sports franchises are supposed to be in such high demand I would think the billionaires would be lining up to buy the blazers. That didn't seem to be the case with the blazers. It seemed to be a longer, drawn out process. And Dundons group doesn't exactly seem to be the most cash rich. Maybe the blazers weren't as attractive a buy as first perception would lead us to believe. With franchises going to Seattle and Vegas maybe the real billionaires said "I'll wait to bid on one of those".
We really got the daughter of a PDF file on the ownership team 😂 hope it doesn’t run in the family but I have modest expectations
Ima be real honest I’m getting disastrous vibes from this guy. Bad energy. I’ll be more than happy if I’m wrong tho!
What I don't want to see is Dundon learning on the fly and having changes every other year or so. Hopefully he will find a trusted source that knows the NBA to avoid that problem. And please no more Martel Webster over Chris Paul owner picks. Go Blazers.
I don’t like how silver has been either this all does not give me a good feeling.
lol imagine being fined for a terrible draft pick.
Who cares what hes like, hes not your friend. Hes here to take this mediocre team and make it winning again. Thank goodness. Tired of this sad sack of a franchise.
Comments with Portland fans are insufferable. It’s as if they don’t even know how sports work in 2026. To have an NBA team in this city in this day and age is an anomaly. He could literally go to any other place that wants a team and rake. They want him to be rich, nice and appreciative of Portland to which he owes none of those things. Just sit back and root for your team, there are plenty of other imaginary problems to whine about in this town I’m sure you will find one in exactly five minutes.