It was a dumb #ss move and I think the owner knew it was to kick up dust. I heard him on the radio being interviewed the day of the announcement and he came off as a hustler salesman. I would not be surprised if he thought it would generate some discussion and create awareness about the team. That it did...
And the name was dumb on its own as it didn't make sense. If it was for the Tomahawk dunk, the general public has no clue. A name that requires an asterik with an explanation underneath is not a good choice. The Ottawa Slam, people would get the basketball association.
Instead it looked like another tired hackneyed injun reference, and the whole native name thing is a hot topic right now. He went further by choosing a name that is linked to about the touchiest one going since it is immediately linked to the Atlanta Braves and the tomahawk chop and the chanting that is played while the crowd chops.
The owner made it worse when he announced it because he kept saying he had talked to native groups. He didn't say who, and it sounded pretty thin, which it was. He was saying they were not only OK with the name but excited about the basketball team!!!! He basically kept digging his hole deeper and deeper. Ends up he didn't consult the groups that Watson recommended. Watson a smart guy that has survived a long time in the public eye, maybe start taking some advice there.
When listening to him I was shaking my head and thinking he should have just said the name has nothing to do with a Native reference, and it's just a name for a basketball dunk. By saying he had the ok from Native groups, when he hadn't even talked to the main ones, he put them in a corner because if they said nothing it looks like they were consulted and were OK with it. Not speaking up really wasn't an option he left them.
Make it the Ottawa Slam, etc. and move on.