“You name it, he’s involved in all of it,” began Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour. “I don’t think you have another owner in sports that’s as involved in his team as he is.” When your own team’s coach heaps such praise on you, there’s no doubt you’re doing something right. The man in contention is the NHL franchise’s owner, Tom Dundon, who has undoubtedly raised the bar for the Hurricanes. But who would have thought that this very trait of his—his relentless involvement—would evolve into a fixation that’s now drawing questions, as the American billionaire splurges over $4 billion to acquire the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers?

Quite ironic, considering the man — whose net worth is estimated between $1.2 and $1.7 billion — already has ventures in other sports as well. Whether it’s owning a 10% stake in Topgolf or building an enigmatic pickleball empire as the majority owner of the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball following a $75 million merger, Tom Dundon has certainly kept busy. And with that same spirit, the 53-year-old has now taken his billions to the next big sport in the United States.

Sources told renowned ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania on August 13 that Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon has reached an agreement to purchase the Portland Trail Blazers from the estate of Paul G. Allen in a deal valued at over $4 billion. This latest agreement, which sees pending NBA approval, positions the Trail Blazers as the seventh-most valuable franchise in the league, coming amid a surge in basketball team valuations.

Ahead of them are the Los Angeles Lakers, topping the charts after Mark Walter’s $10 billion acquisition of a majority stake earlier this year, setting a record for North American sports. Soon after, the Boston Celtics were sold to Bill Chisholm’s group for $6.1 billion. Other major franchises — including the Washington Commanders, Denver Broncos, and Phoenix Suns — have also changed hands recently, each deal driving valuations higher, with the Mavericks and Hornets following suit.

Then again, it’s Tom Dundon’s purchase of the Portland Trail Blazers that marks one of the most notable NBA ownership shake-ups in recent memory. The preliminary deal has Dundon heading a group that features Marc Zahr, co-president of Blue Owl Capital, and Sheel Tyle, co-CEO of the Portland-based firm Collective Global.

While we don’t yet know what the atmosphere in the basketball world is like after hearing this deal, from the looks of it, the entire NHL community seems bewildered by this blockbuster move, prompting many to share their reactions on X.

The NHL community isn’t sure about the Carolina Hurricanes’ owner’s latest investment

For a team rich in history but clouded by recent uncertainty, it’s a remarkable leap for Portland, considering Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen bought the Blazers for just $70 million back in 1988. Even more striking is that the franchise will now be led by the same man who purchased the Hurricanes in 2018 for $425 million — and has since seen them soar to a $1.2 billion valuation.

Yet, this fan still can’t quite grasp why Tom Dundon chose to make his move into the NBA, and specifically with Portland: “There are a few people who own multiple American sports franchises but Carolina Hurricanes and Portland Trail Blazers is by far and away the strangest combination out there.”

Umm, looks like Mr. Tom has some explaining to do. Sure, boosting the team’s valuation is all fun and games. But consider this: on one hand, we see him spending a fortune on ambitious ventures, always a step ahead — yet where does that same spirit go when it comes to providing basic amenities for his own team? Well, this fan didn’t hesitate: “NHL owner buying a NBA team for over 4 billion and Canucks can’t even get a practice rink.”

Everyone’s scratching their heads, trying to figure out what connection there could possibly be between owning the Portland Trail Blazers and the Carolina Hurricanes — but the answer is literally right in front of our eyes. The hilarious part? Just take a look at the logos of both teams. You’ll see exactly what might have inspired Tom Dundon to make this move: “The Hurricanes and Blazers are kind of logo kindred spirits,” wrote another netizen.

Then again, one has to admit this is probably the most random thing anyone’s heard in a long time. Not to mention, there’s no prior connection between the two franchises. Some teams, like the NY Rangers and NY Knicks, share the same ownership — but at least they’re based in the same city and state. Either way, this deal somehow gives a glimpse into why it may have happened: “That’s a weird way to get an MLB team to NC, but I see the vision.”

Shots fired! But in a hilarious way. Well, remember the logo reference? Looks like this fan has a theory about what made Tom Dundon splurge his billions on the NBA side, even though he owns the Carolina Hurricanes: “One time, I wore my Blazers’ hat around a friend’s baby, and he could not stop staring at it. My friend told me that babies are attracted to high contrast images and that red is one of the first colors they can see. tldr this man might be a baby.”

Be that as it may, this is just a glimpse of what you saw as many others came to express their confusion over this latest move in the combined worlds of NBA and NHL. Regardless, share your views in the comments below.