Tom Dundon obviously isn't afraid of being unpopular. He's fully unaware of the league-wide animosity he's been the source of, and by all accounts, doesn't seem to care at all. That's a terrifying thought for about a dozen reasons, but the one that's been on my mind most recently is how little attention he's likely to pay to who fans in Portland want to keep on this roster going forward. If the Blazers go quietly in the first round, it doesn't feel crazy to suggest that Dundon might make his presence felt, and quickly.
I have no insider information, but my gut tells me the Blazers roster is going to look pretty drastically different next year than it does right now. We all know Damian Lillard is coming back, and both Robert Williams and Matisse Thybulle are likely to depart the team as their contracts expire.
Outside of that, I'm really curious how Dundon and the front office approach the rest of the roster. I presume Deni Avdija is near-untouchable after an All-Star leap at 25 years old, and I think Donovan Clingan is likely safe too.
I think Toumani Camara and Shaedon Sharpe should be safe, too. This is the first season of seeing this group in full, and it ended in a playoff appearance. They're likely to lose to the Spurs in the first round, but I refute the idea that we've seen the "ceiling" of this team.
Will Dundon agree? I doubt it. He spoke openly about how this team is, essentially, underachieving. That's not the kind of language someone uses if they're thrilled with the roster in front of them.
I am pro-making moves this summer — but disagree with many Blazers fans who believe the move needs to be drastic.
Tom Dundon might want to make his presence felt with big roster move
If we've learned anything about our collective best friend Tom so far in his tenure as owner, it's that he likes to do things his way. I won't be shocked if that extends to the roster. Owners like feeling like they really own a team, and Dundon may not feel that way until he puts his fingerprints on the roster itself.
None of us are fans of his financial decisions. He's brought that upon himself. Will he win people back over with his roster-building approach? Perhaps as importantly, will he let the front office actually make the decisions, or will his input be felt — for better or worse?
I don't think we'll have to wait long to find out.
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