Tom Dundon’s first day as Trail Blazers owner: ‘I can’t handle losing’

LOS ANGELES — Tom Dundon’s first day as proprietor of the Portland Trail Blazers got here with a easy message to his gamers: The normal is altering.

In a brief assembly together with his crew inside Intuit Dome earlier than Tuesday’s recreation in opposition to the LA Clippers, Dundon informed his gamers he appreciates what they do, however he expects extra.

“Right now, where we are isn’t where I think we can be,” Dundon informed the crew.

Dundon, who additionally owns the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, is understood as a demanding and calculated proprietor who depends on analytics and intestine feeling. Since taking on in Carolina, the Hurricanes have made the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons and made the Eastern Conference ultimate thrice. This season, Carolina is tied for first within the East.

Dundon takes over a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2021 and has had dwindling attendance since a rebuild began in 2022.

In the minutes earlier than the Blazers tipped off in opposition to the Clippers, Dundon gave an unique interview to TheAthleticpertaining to his imaginative and prescient for the franchise, the unease of staff fearing for his or her jobs, and the way forward for the Blazers in Portland amid their quest to safe public funding for $600 million in renovations to the Moda Center.

Here is a portion of Tuesday’s Q&A with Dundon.

Note: This dialog has been flippantly edited for readability and size.

Describe your first day…

Today was extra simply seeing what their course of is on recreation day and assembly a bunch of individuals. I do not know that we did something tremendous helpful apart from type of absorbing the data and simply looking for the locations the place there’s the chance to get higher, proper? You’ve obtained to see how they do it right this moment earlier than you’ve gotten an opinion about what concepts we will carry as much as see in the event that they wish to take into account issues that would give us a bonus sooner or later.

What was your message to the crew?

It was very quick, and it was simply, one, I respect what they do. They’re the product. They made it to the NBA, so it’s extremely spectacular. But proper now, the place we’re is not the place I feel we could be. And it is extra about perhaps rising the requirements, rising the dedication to excellence, rising the depth — issues that I feel all people says, issues all people needs to do. Now, doing it and anticipating to do it and each day getting higher… that isn’t a debate with me. …It goes to occur. It all the time occurs once I present up. And we’re gonna do it. I feel they need it, too.

How do you do this?

I do not know how one can clarify it as a result of it simply is. Like, I can’t settle for it another manner. Do you recognize? For me, it isn’t a alternative. It’s like, no matter we’re doing, we’re making an attempt to do higher, and also you simply preserve going and going. I’m simply obsessive about looking for a approach to get higher. I can’t handle shedding. I can’t handle pondering one thing might be accomplished higher. And for those who get all of the gamers and the coaches and the employees, everybody pondering that manner… you need to get higher.

And I feel the group the final couple years has been in a special place than they’re now, the place now it is beginning to construct. Now we have to get previous these outdated habits that perhaps weren’t as centered on the most effective end result. So, pushing folks previous what they suppose is feasible, after which doing it time and again and once more. I do not know, I simply… I simply do it.

I feel there’s a normal unease amongst staff, worrying you’ll are available and make sweeping adjustments.

I imply, all people who’s not pondering like that each day — like, regardless if there’s new possession, for those who do not get up preventing to your job, preventing to your spot, then that mindset might be not superb anyway. So if it takes this for folks to suppose like that, then that is nice.

But I would like folks occupied with the longer term and never worrying about what I’m going to do. They want to fret about what they’ll do. But I do not like eliminating folks. I wish to see who’s able to taking that subsequent step. So, I’m not seeking to do away with folks. I’m seeking to get higher.

Still, you should have a few high-profile choices to make at head coach (interim coach Tiago Splitter) and normal supervisor (Joe Cronin). How quickly will you come to these choices?

I do not know. Like, I’d want to accumulate data. It can be exhausting for me to have an opinion about something apart from the extent of depth that I would like. I’ve expectations which are most likely increased than most individuals are used to. And so I feel that is the place I’m beginning with, is getting by way of to all people what I like, what my expectations are, and then you definately gotta see if folks can match that. And that’ll let you know greater than me simply guessing who can or can’t.

Some individuals are afraid you’ll transfer the crew out of Portland. Can you provide any assurances that you just will not?

We have not spent any time on that. (Team president) Dewayne (Hankins) and the crew have spent all their time making an attempt to determine how one can renovate Moda Center. Anything that individuals write or say, it is simply made up, as a result of no one has spent any time on it. I absolutely anticipate to get every little thing we’re engaged on accomplished. That’s all we will actually do is figure on that.

Why will not you place any cash into the sand?

Well, so the way in which the world deal will work is we’re going to decide to be right here for a long run (20 years), and that dedication’s price far more than the rest anyone’s gonna do. And so…

Twenty years is fairly normal, although.

I do not suppose so by way of the market.

So you suppose 20 years is sufficient forex, so to talk?

Twenty years? That’s lots.

Historically, different house owners have dedicated years and put in cash…

In Portland?

Is there a message you wish to ship to followers?

I’m extra like we simply gotta do it, so you do not actually have to inform tales. You ought to be capable to discover, the crew improves, and issues get higher. Hopefully, we’ll get folks out and in of the world quicker. The meals’s higher. The expertise is healthier. And while you go, we win extra, and you may see the distinction within the product and the way we play.

I do not suppose I’m supposed to vow folks this or that as a result of I can’t predict the longer term. I simply know that the expectation needs to be excessive throughout the board.