Stanley Cup Win Puts Blazers Owner Back in the Spotlight — and Portland Still Needs a Coach

While Carolina Hurricanes fans are still sweeping up the confetti from a Stanley Cup title that ended a 19-year drought, a different kind of pressure is building 2,500 miles away in Portland. Tom Dundon, the man who owns both the Hurricanes and the Trail Blazers, now faces a question that has nothing to do with hockey: Who will coach his NBA team?

The Blazers are officially without a head coach after interim leader Tiago Splitter accepted a job with the Chicago Bulls earlier this week. Splitter had been holding things together since last October, when longtime head coach Chauncey Billups was placed on leave amid controversy. That situation has lingered for months, leaving Portland in a state of limbo while the rest of the league filled its coaching vacancies.

Dundon’s Dual Role Raises Questions

Dundon hasn’t been quiet about the challenge. In a recent interview, he acknowledged the privilege of owning an NBA team but also hinted at the scrutiny that comes with it. “I am extremely lucky to be able to do it,” Dundon said. “How could you regret being able to own an NBA basketball team? It’s a privilege. So, no one likes when people say bad stuff about them. But in the relative to all the other problems in the world, it’s not a big problem.”

Still, fans online have noted that Dundon’s attention has clearly been split — and not just figuratively. The Hurricanes’ deep playoff run consumed much of his time and, according to multiple reports, his financial focus. There’s been a persistent belief among league observers that Dundon is reluctant to spend big on the Blazers, especially after a series of cost-cutting moves across the organization over the past year.

Now the Hard Part Begins

With Carolina’s season now over — capped by a Stanley Cup win that marked the franchise’s first since 2006 — the expectation is that Dundon will turn his focus back to Portland. But the timeline is unclear. The Blazers have not announced a coaching search timeline, and the team has not confirmed any formal interviews since Splitter’s departure.

Portland’s roster is in transition, and the next coach will inherit a team that needs direction. The Blazers have missed the playoffs in three of the last four seasons, and the fanbase is growing restless. A coaching hire that energizes the locker room — and the city — is critical.

Dundon, for his part, sees parallels between the two sports. “The judgment and empathy you need to be successful, the hard work you have to put in, works across basketball and hockey — and every other business,” he said. Whether that philosophy translates into a winning coach for the Blazers remains the biggest unanswered question in Portland.