Tom Penn is an NBA analyst on ESPN

ESPN

Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....

 where he is regularly featured as a basketball operations expert on advanced analytics, salary cap

Salary cap

In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...

 issues, the NBA Draft

NBA Draft

The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...

, player trades and collective bargaining issues. Penn started working with ESPN during the 2010 NBA Draft, and during the free agency period of 2010, Penn operated ESPN's cap machine on SportsCenter, where he manipulated a touchscreen to show potential destinations for LeBron James

LeBron James

LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...

 and other marquee free agents. Penn has also been on ESPN using the ESPN Trade Machine to break down NBA trades.

NBA executive

From 2007 to 2010, Penn spent four seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers

Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...

 as Vice President of Basketball Operations and Assistant General Manager. Penn was fired in March 2010. Penn is a top expert on the NBA salary cap

Salary cap

In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...

 and collective bargaining agreement. Penn worked with General Manager Kevin Pritchard

Kevin Pritchard

Kevin Lee Pritchard is a retired American professional basketball player.- College career :Pritchard played college basketball for the University of Kansas, where he was the starting point guard on the Jayhawks team that defeated the Oklahoma Sooners for the 1988 NCAA Division I men's basketball...

 as they restored the Blazers from the "Jail Blazers" era. The Blazers won 54 games in 2008–09 and again reached 50 wins in 2009-10 in spite of a number of injuries to key players. During the summer of 2009, Penn was reportedly offered the General Manager job with the Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...

, but he turned down the job, deciding to stay with the Blazers after a promotion to Vice President of Basketball Operations. Ten months later, Penn was fired in what one writer called a "drive by" shooting that warned Kevin Prichard might be next. On July 24, 2010, the day of the NBA Draft, Kevin Pritchard was also fired by the Blazers.

Penn worked for seven seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...

 as Assistant General Manager and Legal Counsel from 2000–07. For five of those seasons in Memphis, Penn worked closely with Jerry West

Jerry West

Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...

 and Chuck Daly

Chuck Daly

Charles Jerome "Chuck" Daly was an American basketball head coach. He led the Detroit Pistons to consecutive National Basketball Association Championships in 1989 and 1990, and the Dream Team to the men's basketball gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He had a 14-year NBA coaching...

. The Grizzlies made the playoffs three straight seasons but never advanced passed the first round. In 1999, Penn worked as part of prospective NBA owner Michael Heisley

Michael Heisley

Michael E. Heisley is an American businessman who is the majority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies. He orchestrated the move of the team from Vancouver in 2001, after promising to keep the franchise in Vancouver when he purchased it in 2000...

's NBA acquisition team. Penn worked with Dick Versace

Dick Versace

Dick Versace is a former basketball coach and National Basketball Association executive. He's also the first person of Puerto Rican descent to have coached an NBA team.-Early years:...

 and Heisley's team to help guide Heisley through the NBA acquisition process until Heisley ultimately purchased the Vancouver Grizzlies in May 2000. After one season in Vancouver, Heisley moved the team to Memphis.

Agent and Lawyer

Penn was also a lawyer and a player agent. He worked mostly as a criminal defense attorney and tried 20+ cases including murder, armed robbery and other serious felony cases. He also was a basketball player agent and organized tours of Europe with free agent players. Upper Deck Company

Upper Deck Company

The Upper Deck Company, LLC , founded in 1988, is a private company primarily known for producing trading cards...

-- the trading card company—was his sponsor for the tours and the team was called the "Upper Deck All-Stars." Fox Sports Chicago filmed a documentary movie about one of the tours called "Over There."

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Penn has been a member of the Board of Governors of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, founded in 1962, is a leading pediatric treatment and research facility focused on children's catastrophic diseases. It is located in Memphis, Tennessee. It is a nonprofit medical corporation chartered as a 501 tax-exempt organization under IRS regulations.In...

 since 2002. He helped found Hoops for St. Jude-- an NBA Cares program that raises awareness and funds to fight childhood cancer. For the 2010-11 NBA Season, Hoops for St. Jude features the endorsement of NBA stars Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...

, Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard

Dwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...

, Pau Gasol

Pau Gasol

Pau Gasol Sáez is a Spanish professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . He was born to Marisa Sáez and Agustí Gasol, and he spent his childhood in Spain...

, Kevin Love

Kevin Love

Kevin Love, born in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former NASCAR driver. He ran five races in the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series season, all for Fiddleback Racing....

, Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay

Rudy Carlton Gay, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Memphis Grizzlies...

, David Lee

David Lee (basketball)

David Lee is an American professional basketball player who is a power forward and center for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association . He played college basketball for the University of Florida and was selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2005 NBA...

, Steve Blake

Steve Blake

Steven Hanson "Steve" Blake is an American professional basketball point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. Previously, he played for the Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers.-High school:Blake spent his freshman and sophomore year...

, and Coach George Karl

George Karl

George Matthew Karl is a former National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association player. He is the current head coach of the Denver Nuggets. On December 10, 2010 he became the seventh coach in NBA history to record 1,000 wins.-Biography:Karl was born in Penn Hills,...

. Penn also serves on the Board of Directors of the Children's Cancer Association, a Portland based charity that provides services and programs to children and families who are traumatized by cancer and other diseases.