Getty

The NBA world reacted honestly to new Portland Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon firing a reported 70 staffers on May 19.

The Portland Trail Blazers’ reported wave of business-side layoffs quickly turned into something bigger than a local staffing story.

It became the latest flashpoint in the early tenure of new Blazers owner Tom Dundon.

Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report reported on May 19 that “around 70 people” were let go on the business side of the organization. Longtime Blazers digital reporter Casey Holdahl later confirmed publicly that he was among those affected, writing that he had been let go after more than 18 years with the franchise.

That combination — the reported scale of the cuts, Holdahl’s exit and Dundon’s already-scrutinized cost-cutting reputation — drew an immediate reaction from NBA media members.

“The league might need to force that Blazers owner to sell. This is crazy,” The Athletic’s Tashan Reed posted on X in response to Highkin’s reporting.

Law Murray of The Athletic wrote, “everything I have seen from Portland this spring upsets and irks me to my core smh.”

Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune quote-posted Highkin’s report and wrote, “Tom Dundon is a terrible human being.”

The strongest reactions came because the layoffs did not land in isolation. They followed weeks of criticism over cost-conscious moves by the Blazers under Dundon, whose ownership group officially took control of the franchise earlier this year.

Casey Holdahl’s Exit Hit a Nerve With Blazers Fans

Holdahl’s departure stood out because he was one of the most familiar public-facing employees in the organization.

For nearly two decades, Holdahl was a steady voice around the team’s official coverage, including written work, podcasts and digital content. His exit was not a roster move, but it was the kind of organizational change fans notice because it affects how they experience the team day to day.

“I have indeed been let go after 18+ years with the @trailblazers,” Holdahl wrote. “My sincerest thanks to all of you who have read/listened/watched/engaged with my work over the years.”

Kevin O’Connor responded to Holdahl’s post, writing, “Sorry to hear Casey. Wishing you all the best.”

Highkin later posted that he had spoken with one person who survived the cuts and was told it felt as if the team “just looked at a spreadsheet of salaries and cut the highest ones” without regard for people’s roles or importance.

Highkin also wrote that he did not expect the NBA to force a sale, saying Dundon’s group hit the valuation the league wanted ahead of expansion and that “all the league cares about” is the number.

That is the tension now surrounding the Blazers: even if the league has no reason to intervene, the public perception of the franchise’s new ownership group is taking hits before it has had much time to build trust.

Tom Dundon’s Blazers Tenure Is Already Under Scrutiny

The layoffs came after previous reports and criticism about the Blazers’ approach during the postseason.

Blazer’s Edge previously noted that Portland’s cost-cutting had drawn national attention, including scrutiny over the team not bringing two-way players on the road during the playoffs, not sending some media staff on the road and other operational decisions.

Yahoo Sports also reported that Blazers president of business operations Dewayne Hankins characterized the May 19 personnel moves as a restructuring. Willamette Week reported a statement from Hankins saying the organization made “the difficult decision to restructure several areas of the business” and was focused on supporting those affected while positioning the franchise for long-term success.

That is the organization’s view. The reaction from around the NBA was very different.

For fans, the concern is not only that people lost jobs. It is that these moves are happening at the beginning of a new ownership era, when the Blazers are trying to sell a vision for the future.

Dundon’s supporters can point to his track record with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, where his ownership tenure eventually coincided with sustained competitiveness. But NBA fans in Portland are not judging the Hurricanes’ arc right now. They are judging what they can see: layoffs, cost scrutiny and the exit of familiar staff members who helped connect the franchise to its fan base.

That is why the reaction was so sharp. The Blazers’ new ownership group may believe these decisions are part of a necessary business reset. But in the NBA, perception matters. And after Tuesday’s layoffs, the perception around Portland’s new era took another significant hit.