The Portland Trail Blazers are facing heavy scrutiny after reportedly laying off around 70 employees this week in one of the largest front office cuts the NBA has seen in years. And the fallout got even louder once fans realized a basketball legend was part of the sweep.
Tina Thompson, a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest players in women’s basketball history, confirmed Wednesday morning that her time with the Trail Blazers had ended after nearly four years with the organization. Thompson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023 after a legendary WNBA career that included four championships with the Houston Comets and 10 All-Star selections. She shared the news in an Instagram post that quickly started circulating across NBA circles.
“Thank you Rip City!” Thompson wrote. “It has been an absolute pleasure! The beautiful thing about doors are that they open and close then open again!”
The cuts reportedly hit the business side of the organization, not the basketball operations department directly. Longtime digital reporter Casey Holdahl, who had been with the franchise for more than 18 years, also confirmed he was among those let go.
The Timing Made The Situation Even Louder
The layoffs come just weeks after businessman Tom Dundon officially took over ownership of the franchise following the sale from the estate of late owner Paul Allen. The NBA approved the $4.25 billion sale in March, ending the Allen family’s nearly four-decade run with the team.
But frustration around Dundon’s leadership had already been building before the layoffs surfaced.
Reports earlier this postseason claimed Portland’s two-way players were not permitted to travel during the playoffs as part of broader cost-saving measures. Critics also pointed to reports that coaching candidates were being offered salaries significantly below typical NBA standards.
That context turned what might have been viewed as a corporate restructuring into a league-wide conversation about ownership priorities.
The Blazers Say This Was About “Future Positioning”
Trail Blazers president of business operations Dewayne Hankins addressed the cuts in a statement released Tuesday.
“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,” Hankins said.
“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.”
“Our focus now is supporting those affected through the transition and positioning the organization for long-term success.”
Still, fans and league observers immediately questioned why a franchise valued at billions needed such deep cuts so soon after a new ownership transition.
NBA Layoffs Usually Happen Quietly. This Didn’t.
Front office restructuring is not new in professional sports, but mass layoffs of this scale are relatively rare in the NBA. Most teams avoid large public-facing cuts because franchises rely heavily on continuity, community relationships, sponsorship operations, and media infrastructure.
That’s part of why Portland’s situation hit differently.
Several of the employees reportedly affected had spent decades with the organization, making the move feel less like a routine reshuffle and more like a sharp cultural reset.
The optics also landed at a difficult moment for the league overall, as teams continue balancing exploding franchise valuations with rising operational costs tied to arenas, media production, analytics departments, and expanded business staffs.
A History Of NBA Layoffs During Financial Shifts
The NBA has seen periods of layoffs before, though they usually arrive during moments of financial uncertainty or ownership change.
COVID-19 Triggered League-Wide Cuts
During the pandemic in 2020, several NBA franchises quietly reduced staff after revenue disappeared almost overnight due to suspended games and empty arenas. Teams including the Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, and Utah Jazz reportedly reduced departments or furloughed employees as organizations adjusted to major financial losses.
Ownership Changes Often Lead To Restructuring
Major ownership transitions have historically brought staffing shakeups as incoming executives install new business philosophies.
When new ownership groups take over franchises, departments tied to marketing, media, partnerships, and ticketing often face restructuring first. Portland’s latest cuts follow that familiar pattern, though the scale immediately drew national attention.
Basketball Revenue Keeps Growing While Staff Cuts Continue
What makes situations like Portland’s more controversial is the league’s financial reality.
NBA franchise values continue climbing to record levels, national television rights continue expanding, and teams increasingly operate as global entertainment brands. That disconnect has made layoffs across sports feel more jarring to fans, especially when beloved longtime employees are involved.
In Portland’s case, the backlash grew because the cuts arrived almost immediately after a multibillion-dollar ownership purchase and a playoff appearance.
And now, with a Hall of Famer unexpectedly added to the list of exits, the conversation around the Blazers has shifted far beyond basketball.
