Portland Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon reportedly talked to several big-time coaches and executives in NBA circles before taking over control of his new team, perhaps subverting popular reports that he is trying to escape with inexpensive hires at the coaching position.
Jason Quick of The Athletic published an extensive piece today on Dundon’s well-chronicled cost-cutting [subscription required]. Though Quick confirms earlier reports that Dundon is focused on streamlining and reorganizing the Blazers
structurally, the approach does not necessarily extend to prominent executive positions, at least if previous conversations are any indication.
Dundon’s attempt at a covert search for coaching and general manager candidates has been exposed on a nearly daily basis. His contact with St. Louis University coach Josh Schertz at the Final Four, and later with Iowa coach Ben McCollum, have leaked.
League sources — granted anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the coaching search — also say former NBA coach Michael Malone was contacted before he took the University of North Carolina job, as well as former Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, who is no longer a candidate. And before he took control of the Blazers, Dundon spoke to former Toronto executive Masai Ujiri.
Quick spends some time explaining that, unlike the NHL—where Dundon owned the Carolina Hurricanes—the NBA is a word-of-mouth league. This leads to speedy revelations about the new owner’s conversations, for better or worse. Quick notes that searching for new personnel while others are still employed is a frowned-upon practice. (One source called it “disrespect” towards Interim Head Coach Tiago Splitter.) This has apparently not deterred Dundon from engaging.
Perhaps to the relief of Blazers fans, Quick also explains that one part of the news media rumors—that Dundon is trying to get a bargain on Portland’s next head coach—may not be true.
Equally damaging is the perception that his coaching search mirrors his frugal approach to what he considers the non-essential components of the franchise.
However, multiple sources said the focus of Dundon’s coaching search hasn’t been price.
“Of all the things reported on Tom, the one thing that is not true is the coaching thing, that he is trying to get someone for $1 million to 1.5 million,” a team source said. “It’s just not true. He’s talked to everybody, and of course, some coaches he talks to would be less expensive than others. The goal is to find the best person.”
We will see how this all plays out.
