The Most Stingy Ever! Yang Hansen's New Boss Sparks Criticism with Multiple Outrageous Policies: He Even Skimps on Accommodation Fees

On April 21 Beijing time, Trail Blazers reporter Jason Quick wrote an article discussing the team's new owner Deng Deng, revealing just how stingy this boss, who spent $4.25 billion to buy the Trail Blazers, really is. As Yang Hansen's new boss, his numerous outrageous policies have drawn widespread criticism. The specifics are as follows—

On the day the Trail Blazers faced the Suns in the first round of the play-in tournament, which was the most crucial game in Coach Split's career since winning would advance them to the playoffs, the interim head coach Split, instead of focusing on defensive strategies and rotation plans, was preoccupied with the accommodation issue of the team's physiotherapist.

New owner Deng Deng issued a strict rule: all staff accompanying the team, except players and the coaching staff, must check out by 12:30 PM to avoid extra accommodation fees from late check-outs.

The team physiotherapist thus had no place to stay and couldn't provide pre-game rehabilitation therapy for the players. She complained bitterly to Split. This was not an isolated incident; various unreasonable measures sparked discontent among many. Split privately confided his frustration to close associates.

"He was about to coach the most critical game of his career, yet he had to be distracted by such trivial matters," revealed a friend of the coach and an insider within the league.

"Split was worried: if the physiotherapist became resentful and worked消极ly, it could affect Avdija's pre-game recovery, ultimately harming the team's performance,"

Ultimately, thanks to Avdija's outstanding performance, the Trail Blazers defeated the Suns and returned to the NBA playoffs after five years.

But this incident set the tone for the new management's approach: all expenses outside the team locker room are to be drastically minimized, completely deviating from the common industry practices of the NBA.

Numerous outrageous cost-saving measures followed—

The Trail Blazers are the only team this season not bringing two-way contract players to the playoffs, solely to save on accommodation and meal costs;

The team's support staff was significantly精简; the award-winning official photographer and digital media journalist were not allowed to travel to San Antonio for the series.

Split took over as interim coach this season under紧急 circumstances and performed commendably. Before the second game of the season, former head coach Chauncey Billups was arrested by the FBI due to gambling investigations, and Split hastily assumed coaching duties.

Even while the team is competing in the playoffs, Deng Deng is actively contacting college and professional league coaches, privately interviewing candidates for the head coach position everywhere, completely disregarding the industry respect and默契规矩 that NBA incumbent coaches deserve.

"If this is how he starts after taking over the team, the Trail Blazers are destined for chaos and controversy for years to come," commented an industry insider who has dealt with Deng Deng多次 and requested anonymity.

Deng Deng is a billionaire who made his fortune through subprime auto loans; this extreme cost-cutting management model is not his first use.

After acquiring the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes in 2017, he successively大幅削减 costs: firing the team's broadcasting team, lowering salaries for the head coach and assistant coaches. Paradoxically, after一系列省钱操作, the Hurricanes反而跻身 the NHL's top-tier teams.

Past success convinced him this model works. On March 31 this year, after Deng Deng and his investment consortium completed the acquisition of 81% of the team's shares for $4.25 billion and formally took over the Trail Blazers, he immediately issued control directives to the team management.

"His core demand is: why spend money recklessly? All expenditures must be rational and practical," said an internal team source. "Simply put, accompanying personnel are limited to essential roles; no more payments for 'dispensable' personnel expenses."

• The极致抠门的经营理念彻底颠覆ed the team's local tradition in Portland.

For the past 38 years, the Trail Blazers were controlled by globally顶级富豪 Paul Allen. After his passing, the team was taken over by his sister Jody.Allen always invested大手笔, providing players with top-tier salaries and exclusive benefits across the league—

During training,专属 personnel免费清洗 and精细养护 players' private luxury cars;

The entire team once boarded his 413-foot private yacht for meals and took helicopter tours of the Golden Gate Bridge;

They常年搭乘 a专属 Boeing 757 private jet for away games, equipped with satellite TV, a bar, and master bedroom suites,享受奢华待遇.

Now, Deng Deng毫不犹豫削减开支只要能 save a penny, even if it severely damages the team's reputation and public image.

This young team, finally摆脱多年摆烂泥潭 and迎来崛起曙光, should be沉浸在晋级季后赛的喜悦中, but internally, there is尴尬,抵触, and人心惶惶.

And Deng Deng毫不在意 about this.

"He believes this is just the beginning of reform; taking over a team requires打破旧有规则 and推倒重来," revealed a team source. "He admitted he faced无数争议与艰难 while managing the Hurricanes, but ultimately everyone only cares about战绩胜利. In his view, as long as it不影响球员赛场表现, non-competitive层面开支,能省则省,抠门根本不算问题."

But after仅仅三周 in the NBA, Deng Deng should realize: the NBA and the hockey league are completely两个世界.

The NBA圈子 is like a大型社交场, with rumors spreading and消息互通, no secrets可言. Therefore, his private plans to secretly scout new head coach and general manager candidates are几乎每天遭到曝光.

His接触圣路易斯大学主帅肖茨 during the NCAA Final Four and subsequent约谈爱荷华州立大学主教练麦科勒姆 were悉数泄露.

Multiple anonymous league sources confirmed: former Nuggets championship coach Michael Malone, before taking the North Carolina head coach position, also received an invitation from Deng Deng; former Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau was同样列入候选名单 but has now退出竞争; even before acquiring the Trail Blazers, he had接洽猛龙前高管乌杰里.

There is widespread external质疑 that he同样贯彻抠门思路 in hiring coaches and executives, only willing to sign low-cost contracts. However,多方消息辟谣: in the coach selection process, cost is not his核心考量.

"External rumors that he only wants to hire a coach for $1–1.5 million are纯属谣言," clarified an internal team source. "He interviewed all优质人选, with salaries ranging high and low, aiming only to hire the most suitable leader."

一边征战季后赛一边公开挖角现任主帅 and海选新教练 is an行业大忌,此举也让全联盟业内质疑 whether future positions with the Trail Blazers will still be attractive.

"The轻视与不尊重 suffered by incumbent coach Split难以用言语形容," expressed a愤慨资深业内人士. "Almost每天都会传出新的主帅候选名单; this is the most恶劣,最伤人的职场操作 I've seen in over thirty years in the industry."

Reports claimed the Trail Blazers attempted low offers to college coaches, and the续约合同 for interim coach Split仅在其$850,000年薪基础上小幅涨薪. But多方证实: Deng Deng has not yet provided any正式续约报价 to Split.

Fan福利同样遭到缩减. For the Trail Blazers' home Game 3 against the Spurs,现场不再免费发放定制T恤,取消多年传统福利. After the team president announced this decision, fans集体抗议,怒斥新老板吝啬小气.

But Deng Deng's初衷 is not单纯省钱; he aims to create另类主场优势.

"His idea is simple: how to further amplify the home court atmosphere?" explained an内部人士. "放弃统一T恤反而可以尝试新方式. Having 19,000 people手持各类道具制造噪音干扰 when the Spurs shoot free throws is远比统一T恤更好."

Time will tell whether Deng Deng's实用主义经营模式 can lead this老牌球队走出低谷,再创辉煌.

Everyone acknowledges that the Trail Blazers'新时代开局满是争议与坎坷. "His初衷是好的,目标很纯粹,就是打造一支冠军级强队," said an内部人士. "I believe三年,五年之后所有人都会认可他的改革成果. But接下来的12个月,这座城市,这支球队注定要在不满与阵痛中度过."