[ad_1]
The Portland Trail Blazers were bought by Tom Dundon, who also owns the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL. Former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban thinks the sale was an excellent move.
On August 13, the estate of Paul Allen sold the Portland Trail Blazers to real estate mogul Tomas Dundon for $4.25 billion. Dundon also owns the Carolina Hurricanes and has substantial investments in football and pickleball, although his foray into the NBA is his biggest investment yet.
The Hurricanes have enjoyed great success under Dundon, although they consistently rank below average in payroll, so Portland is not expected to suddenly attempt to lure big-name stars.
Still, Dundon has a track record of success, and one of the NBA’s most famous former owners praised the move.
Mark Cuban offers praise to Blazers’ new owner Tom Dundon
Mark Cuban was not the wealthiest NBA owner during his time owning the Dallas Mavericks, but from 2000-2023, the Mavs made the playoffs 18 times. His vocal and hands-on leadership style made him a massive figure in the basketball world, and he still offers insight and opinions surrounding the league even after selling his team.
“He will be a great owner,” Cuban predicted to KGW’s Devon Haskins. “He loves and knows basketball. He won in the NHL. I think fans will really like Tom.”
The Trail Blazers are in the midst of a rebuild, although Cuban seems confident that Dundon will invest significant effort and capital in the team, pulling them from the depths of the Western Conference.
Tom Dundon has a track record of success
While the Alliance of American Football league did not gain traction, even with a $250 million investment from Dundon, he broke into the pickleball space relatively early and has helped shape the Hurricanes into a winning organization.
In the 37 seasons before he bought the team, the Hurricanes made the playoffs only 13 times. Since 2017, they have appeared in the postseason in seven of the eight seasons.
Both the NHL and NBA, unlike MLB, operate with a salary cap so wealthy owners can’t buy the best players.
However, even without a cap, Carolina operates with a lower budget than most teams, although they commit to their coaching staff and star players, with coach Rod Brind’Amour and captain Jordan Staal both in town throughout Dundon’s ownership tenure.
With young stars like Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen to build around and a first-time head coach in Chauncey Billups, there should be hope that Dundon will bring his winning culture to the NBA.
[ad_2]
Source link
