While Tom Dundon is known for owning the NHL Carolina Hurricanes and now the NBA Portland Trail Blazers, some may be surprised to find out he's also the majority owner of Pickleball Inc.
Why is that relevant? Well, the Blazers didn't receive any awards at the ESPYs, but they were surprisingly mentioned as a potential landing spot for superstar LeBron James. When attendees were asked where they think James will take his talents in free agency, professional pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters brought up Dundon's pursuit, according to James H. Williams of USA Today.
“I don’t know,” Anna Leigh Waters said. “I know the owner of the professional pickleball league just bought the Portland basketball team, the Trail Blazers, and I know he’s trying to get [James], so we’ll see if that happens.”
Blazers are in pursuit of LeBron James?
On Thursday, LeBron mentioned that while he's not ready to reveal his next destination, he plans to make his decision official soon, saying he "won't hold you guys up too much longer."
To be clear, the Blazers landing James would be one of the most shocking plot twists in sports history. It's surprising they were even mentioned as a landing spot at the ESPYs. By all accounts, the Blazers were out of the running the second James announced he's leaving the Los Angeles Lakers.
That won't stop Dundon from trying, which should have Blazers fans excited about that relentless aspect of their new polarizing owner. And this comment by Waters does have us thinking James would be a good hypothetical fit in Portland.
LeBron won't join Portland, but he should!
Right now, it appears to be down to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers, with the Minnesota Timberwolves being a dark horse.
Cleveland has unique leverage with the storybook return to add to James' legacy. Golden State has the Stephen Curry angle and proximity to family in Los Angeles. Miami has familiarity and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Philadelphia offers arguably the best path to winning a fifth ring, especially after somehow landing Jaylen Brown. James would fit perfectly with Minnesota's roster and give him an underdog angle for a franchise that has never won a championship.
But the reality is that while James is impressively still a star-caliber player at 41, he's no longer the player who instantly makes any team a top contender. None of these potential landing spots would put these teams in the tier of the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.
That's why we think Portland gives him the best of both worlds -- a realistic shot to win while staying close to family on the West Coast.
If Minnesota is considered a dark horse landing spot, why isn't Portland? The Blazers are bringing back Damian Lillard and traded for Ja Morant. They have a logjam at the point guard and center positions, meaning the forward position is the one area they still need to address for their final roster spot.
A potential starting lineup of Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, Deni Avdija, LeBron James, and Donovan Clingan is a well-balanced unit that could legitimately contend. Not to mention the strength of Portland's roster in this scenario, which would be their depth with pieces like Ja Morant, Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara, and Robert Williams III all coming off the bench.
This team would be STACKED.
Unfortunately, this dream scenario remains nothing more than a pipe dream, if that. Portland has already struggled to convince Giannis Antetokounmpo to commit long-term this summer, and should have even more difficulty with James.
But hey, at least a pickleball player is giving us Blazers fans some semblance of hope.
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