We Like the Blazers — the Portland Trail Blazers podcast with the most on-the-nose name in the game — is back!
On this week’s episode, co-host Brandon Mullen and I conclude our summer recap by diving into
arguably the biggest development of an action-packed offseason: the Trail Blazers’ pending sale to the investment group led by Tom Dundon, the owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, and what that means for the franchise moving forward.
The conversation begins with considering the scary possibility of the Blazers relocating to another city after the franchise changes hands. While we both feel more assured that Dundon’s prospective purchase of the team means that scenario is unlikely to happen, we agree still reserving some caution about a potential relocation at this juncture is valid or even wise.
Brandon: It doesn’t matter how many pronouncements people make. It doesn’t matter how many non-binding statements are released. It doesn’t matter how many times a national sports outlet puts it in the headline that the team is staying in Portland. If there’s nothing binding, then there’s nothing binding. We don’t have to go any further than the Seattle Supersonics. Also, a more recent example, if not quite the same thing, we don’t have to go much further than Mark Cuban, the former majority owner of the Mavs, being like, ‘I’m gonna be around, everybody!‘ and then he was outta there. …
All of this is just to say, while I share some of your relief learning more details about Tom Dundon, I just don’t want to dismiss outright that people may still be concerned about the team potentially leaving because I don’t think that it’s set in stone, even if I think that is unlikely.
The episode then shifts into takeaways from Dundon’s tenure as the owner of the small-market Hurricanes and how it could foreshadow his decision-making and style in Portland. Before Dundon took over Carolina in 2018, the Hurricanes had missed the playoffs for nine straight seasons. In the seven years since, the Hurricanes have made the playoffs every season and reached the Eastern Conference Finals three times.
Brandon and I show optimism about that impressive winning track record and the priority Dundon has placed on winning, while also discussing some less flattering reports that have described his ownership approach as overly involved.
Conor: This is kinda like in a job interview, and [Dundon is] like: ‘My greatest strength? I care too much. My greatest weakness? I care too much.’ It feels a little bit like that. From all the articles I’ve been reading, he cares about winning and will spend money to win. … It’s better to have somebody who might get you into trouble for how much they’re meddling than somebody who doesn’t care and isn’t willing to spend money. That’s where I land.
News about a lawsuit hitting Andrew and Peggy Cherng, co-founders of Panda Express and minority investors in Dundon’s ownership group, didn’t break until after we recorded on Tuesday, so those implications aren’t covered. But we discuss much more on the episode. Click above to watch on YouTube or find We Like the Blazers on any pod catcher!
