Concerns about Tom Dundon’s cost-cutting approach since becoming the owner of the Portland Trail Blazers continue to surface.
In a subscriber-only report, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report noted that Portland chose not to bring its two-way players, Caleb Love, Chris Youngblood, and Jayson Kent, to San Antonio for the opening two games of its first-round playoff series.
Although two-way players are ineligible to participate in postseason games, teams typically still include them on road trips.
Highkin spoke with sources from the other seven traveling playoff teams over the weekend and found that all of them brought their two-way players along, even if they remained in street clothes.
He described Portland’s decision as “well outside of standard practice” across the league.
Highkin added that the move was “particularly insulting” for Love, a rookie guard who delivered multiple high-scoring performances during December and January while the team dealt with injuries in the backcourt.
He also pointed out that Love, along with Sidy Cissoko, who earned a standard contract in February after reaching his 50-game limit, played key roles in helping Portland stay afloat during that stretch and ultimately reach the postseason.
The Blazers’ new owner is making quite an impression — and it’s not a good one: https://t.co/tM5hp75ALw pic.twitter.com/YLb1iY0UGt
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) April 20, 2026
