Dundon’s Dual Franchise Pressure

Tom Dundon’s Stanley Cup win with the Hurricanes is a major milestone—his first since buying the team for $420 million in 2018—but it’s also put a spotlight on his NBA ambitions. Just months after snapping up the Trail Blazers for $4.24 billion, Dundon’s under pressure to land a head coach for Portland ahead of the NBA draft. Tiago Splitter, who stepped in as interim coach after Chauncey Billups’ legal issues and led the team to the playoffs, is now gone—snapped up by the Bulls. Dundon’s search has drawn criticism, including reports he contacted candidates while Splitter was still coaching and even considered hiring someone at an assistant’s salary. The Blazers’ GM confirmed they’re doing a full search, not just appointing Splitter. Other concerns include reduced player travel and staff cuts. Dundon admits he’s made mistakes and doesn’t always grasp the league’s intricacies, but insists his focus is winning—not just profit—while juggling two franchises. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/7922e3ac322b173f