Carmelo Anthony did not hold back when reacting to what is quickly becoming one of the strangest ownership storylines in the NBA.
The Portland Trail Blazers’ new era under Tom Dundon has already drawn heavy criticism, and for Melo, one specific decision crossed the line.
It was not about wins or losses. It was about understanding what a franchise like Portland actually represents.
Speaking on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, Anthony questioned the direction Dundon is taking with the franchise.
“No t-shirt. What do you mean by no t-shirt? You go to Portland. That’s Rip City. Like everybody, you’re in one color. Red T’s, black T’s, white T’s, that’s it. You don’t come into a business like that. Because you are part of an ecosystem,” Anthony said.
He added, “It ain’t you like you part of 29 other teams. Players got to be able to go to Portland. You don’t just you don’t come with the iron fist right away like that with the people who support you.”
The criticism stems from Dundon’s decision to scrap the long-standing playoff T-shirt tradition, something that has been part of Portland’s identity for years. Instead, fans were given towels, a move that immediately sparked backlash across the league.
For Melo, that decision represents a deeper issue about how ownership should approach a fanbase that has historically been one of the most loyal in the NBA.
The T-shirt controversy is just one part of a broader pattern that has defined Dundon’s early days in Portland.
“You supposed to come in and over and did it. ‘Yeah, my team made it to the postseason. New owner. I gotta go overboard.’ It should be all types of experiences for them fans out there. You’re coming in with a nice business like here, go make this work,” he continued.
“That’s just cheap, bro. That’s all that is. Probably have this very conservative way of doing business, and that’s his way. This is why I said to own a team is big boy s___,” Melo concluded.
Additionally, two-way players were left off road playoff trips, staff travel policies were tightened, and even basic operational decisions have been scrutinized.
This approach is not entirely new for Dundon, who built a reputation in other sports as a highly involved, analytics-driven owner willing to cut costs in areas he does not see as essential.
The problem, at least in Portland, is perception. In a market that prides itself on the connection between team and fans, those decisions are being viewed less as strategy and more as unnecessary cuts.
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