Trail Blazers GM Joe Cronin takes blame for 2-way players initially not traveling in playoffs: 'That was on me'
Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin tried to set the record straight about new owner Tom Dundon during his end-of-season news conference on Thursday . Cronin discussed his growing connection with the 54-year-old Texas billionaire, who thrived in the auto loan business and also owns the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. As for the myriad reports about Dundon’s cost-cutting measures during his first month at the helm in Portland, Cronin said that they aren’t “an accurate depiction of what his goals are.
” When asked specifically about the Blazers not sending their three two-way players to San Antonio for the first two games of their first-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs, Cronin took responsibility for that blunder. Portland received flak after it was the only team to not send its two-way players on the road for the first weekend of this season's playoffs. While two-way players — who are on contracts that allow them to split time between the NBA and the G League — aren’t eligible to play in the NBA postseason, it’s customary that they make playoff trips with their NBA teams.
“That one's on me,” Cronin, who became full-time GM in May 2022, told reporters Thursday. “It was more of a miscommunication on my end. We've talked about doing some traveling party reductions.
“Next year, we'll run a little lighter. I just assumed that meant including them, and I didn't double check. And we fixed that mistake.
We brought those guys to San Antonio [for Game 5]. That was on me for not communicating properly. ” Portland Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon (left) and general manager Joe Cronin (right) are hoping to return the Blazers to contender status in the Western Conference.
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