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Trail Blazers owner pinching pennies on 3 very basic NBA customs
TL;DR
Portland Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon is reportedly limiting the coaching salary to $1.5 million per year, significantly below the NBA market rate. This cost-cutting approach raises concerns about the team's commitment to its players and fans.
Key points
- Tom Dundon is the first-year owner of the Portland Trail Blazers.
- The team plans to pay their next head coach $1.5 million per year.
- This salary is below the current market standard for NBA coaches.
- Cost-cutting measures may impact the team's ability to attract talent.
Mentioned in this story
Portland Trail BlazersTom Dundon
I believe all owners of professional sports teams have an obligation to their players, coaches, and fans.
If you're going to purchase a major franchise, above all else, it is your duty to protect and empower it like the treasured civic institution it is. The moment you start tightening your belt to save what is tantamount to trivial amounts of money to your bottom line, you have lost the plot. In essence, you have failed all the people mentioned, making it apparent that you have entirely misplaced priorities.
Based on recent developments, first-year Portland Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon has clearly never internalized this thought process. It's to the point where it's unclear whether he even recognizes how important the Trail Blazers are to the city of Portland.
First, per Jake Fischer, there was a report that the Trail Blazers want to pay their next head coach no more than $1.5 million per year. That is, uh, well below the current market standard for NBA coaches, even if they are first-timers. Obviously, this may likely have a huge impact on Portland's search:
"The consistent word for weeks about new [Trail] Blazers owner Tom Dundon is his apparent desire to pay no more than $1.5 million annually for a new head coach. That's well below the current NBA standard ... even for a first-time head coach. From $1 million to $1.5 million is actually the price range for the league's top assistant coaches, but Portland's desire to spend so modestly on a full-time replacement for [Chauncey] Billups has been widely communicated and figures to have a significant impact on the process."
So, in essence, Dundon is willing to potentially hamper his team's coaching candidate pool with one of the most important first decisions the Trail Blazers will make under his direction. In a word: Yikes.
Then, late last week, according to Guillermo Mota of KATU News, the Trail Blazers revealed they won't, in fact, give away trademark oversized shirts for their home games with the in their first-round series. You know, the kinds of shirts you see at, quite literally, . It's a tried-and-true, beloved playoff tradition that Dundon's Trail Blazers are simply electing not to participate in.
Q&A
Why is Tom Dundon limiting the coaching salary for the Trail Blazers?
Tom Dundon is reportedly trying to save costs, setting the coaching salary at $1.5 million per year, which is below the NBA market standard.
What impact will the low coaching salary have on the Trail Blazers?
The low salary may hinder the team's ability to attract qualified candidates for the head coach position, affecting their overall performance.
How does the Trail Blazers' coaching salary compare to other NBA teams?
The proposed $1.5 million salary for the Trail Blazers' next head coach is significantly lower than the current market rates for NBA coaches.
What are the implications of Dundon's cost-cutting measures for the Trail Blazers?
Dundon's cost-cutting measures may signal a lack of commitment to the team's success and could alienate players and fans alike.
