PORTLAND, Ore. (Diya TV) — Less than two months after the new ownership of the Portland Trail Blazers took the reins, rumored changes became official. The organization cut approximately 70 members of its business staff, roughly a third of its entire non-basketball workforce, in a single round of layoffs. The team declined to disclose an official figure, but multiple sources confirmed the number to The Oregonian, the Rose Garden Report, and Willamette Week. Before Tuesday, the Blazers employed roughly 215 people on the business side and approximately 390 total.
Dewayne Hankins, the Blazers’ President of Business Operations, confirmed the cuts in a statement: “Today, as part of our plans to position the organization for the future, we made the difficult decision to restructure several areas of the business. These changes impacted talented people who have helped shape the Trail Blazers over many years. We are deeply grateful for their contributions, their leadership, and the care they showed every day for our team, our fans, and the Portland community.”
Among the most recognizable casualties was Casey Holdahl, the team’s digital reporter, who confirmed his departure on social media after more than 18 years with the organization. His exit reflects how deeply the cuts reached, not just into administrative roles, but into positions tied to fan engagement and institutional memory.
Tom Dundon’s ownership group agreed to purchase the Blazers in August 2025 for an estimated $4.25 billion from the estate of Paul Allen, the Microsoft co-founder who had owned the team since 1988. Allen died in 2018, and his sister Jody managed the franchise through a trust until the sale was finalized. The NBA Board of Governors approved the transaction earlier this spring, and Dundon officially took control in April 2026. He also owns the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes.
His first weeks in charge were marked by a string of cost-cutting controversies. Staff members were told to check out of their Phoenix hotel rooms by noon, hours before the team bus departed for the arena, to avoid late checkout fees. The team declined to bring its three two-way players — Caleb Love, Chris Youngblood, and Jayson Kent — on the road for the opening weekend of the NBA Playoffs, reportedly to save on travel costs. Portland was the only first-round team to do so. Reports also emerged that Dundon was considering eliminating one of the team’s two mascots, and the franchise skipped complimentary playoff T-shirts for fans for the team’s first postseason appearance in five years.
Co-owner Sheel Tyle has been more publicly visible in responding to the backlash. Asked directly about the criticism in an exclusive interview with Diya TV, he acknowledged it but urged patience: “We hear the feedback, we read the feedback, people send us the feedback and we’re going to make mistakes. I mean, we’re 3 weeks in as new owners, but I promise you — we are 100% committed to winning. And we know winning means on the court and off the court. As we learn things, we’re going to adjust. We’re going to do the right thing for the fans and for the community and for the team. But judge us in a few years.”
Dundon himself addressed the “cheap” accusations in a recent appearance on The Ringer’s “Game Over” podcast. He drew a distinction between cutting overhead and spending on basketball. “In the list of things I care about, [reputation] is lower,” he had said at his April press conference. “If we need to make a decision that’s best for the Portland Trail Blazers, I’m gonna make those decisions.”
The layoffs land at a critical moment in the franchise’s relationship with the city. The Moda Center, the Blazers’ home since 1995, needs significant renovation — the NBA has said as much, with Commissioner Adam Silver previously suggesting Portland plan for a new arena. The estimated cost is $600 million. Dundon has been clear he won’t contribute his own money, instead pushing for full public funding. Oregon’s legislature met him partway: Governor Tina Kotek signed Senate Bill 1501, allocating $365 million in public funds toward the renovation. Negotiations with the city and Multnomah County over the remaining gap are ongoing.
Relocation fears have shadowed the process. Analysts have named Nashville, Austin, Kansas City, San Diego, and Vancouver as potential destinations if a deal collapses. Dundon has dismissed the talk, drawing on his experience keeping the Hurricanes in Raleigh. “You didn’t buy the team to move it,” he said on the podcast. “We bought the Portland Trail Blazers.”
The basketball side remains untouched. Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan, and Deni Avdija give the franchise a credible young core. But the organization surrounding that team is, as of this week, considerably smaller than it was when Dundon took over — and the city it plays in is still debating on whether it will spend hundreds of millions to keep the squad in the Rose City.
