New Trail Blazers owner reportedly targeting team's mascots

Dundon's newest concern is whether the Blazers should have two mascots. Blaze the Cat, a feline with a heart-shaped nose and a tail that looks like a flame, became the team's mascot in 2002. Three years ago, Blaze was joined by Douglas Fur, a hairy creature from the Pacific Northwest woods who is a throwback to the team's Bigfoot mascot from the 1980's.

Portland Trail Blazers' mascot budget should not be an issue

Perhaps Dundon simply wants to familiarize himself with every aspect of the Blazers organization, even down to the costumed entertainers who roam the sidelines at games. They also visit school assemblies and work children's birthday parties and charity events.

Many NBA teams get by with a single mascot. Four teams have no mascot at all. It's fair to reevaluate whether the Trail Blazers need two, especially when neither is a trail blazer. According to the team, Douglas Fur is an "unshaven local hiker and explorer camouflaged in true hipster outdoor attire." In other words, he's essentially a resident of Portland who happens to also be a seven-foot mythical creature.

Still, should streamlining the team's mascot department be the priority for a team that's in the playoffs? Instead of celebrating the Blazers' first playoff appearance since 2021, the team is getting stories about Dundon's cheapness.

The Blazers have returned to the postseason. If Dundon has his way, Douglas Fur may be returning to the wilderness.