All articles tagged with #trail blazers
CBS Sports completes its two-part ranking by listing the bottom 15 NBA front offices, with the Lakers, Trail Blazers, and Nuggets near the bottom due to a lack of long-term vision, mismanagement, and ownership instability, plus a rundown of other teams’ questionable moves across the league.
Merritt Paulson, owner of the Portland Timbers, says the Trail Blazers can’t leave Portland and uses the Moda Center renovation negotiations to urge regional leaders to make the city more attractive for investment. While not committing to taxpayer funding, he warns the region should heed the implications of the dispute, as the Blazers seek about $600 million in public money and Providence Park has already drawn roughly $145 million in private investments.
Portland’s City Council heard hours of testimony on a draft term sheet for a Moda Center renovation that could total about $400 million in public subsidies and require the Blazers to stay in Portland for 20 years, with proposed amendments to boost city benefits—such as capturing parking revenue, raising ticket surcharges, boosting charitable giving, and strengthening labor protections—ahead of an Aug. 12 final vote.
Portland's Blazers are calling the city council's proposed Moda Center term sheet a non-starter, signaling ongoing disagreements on key terms even as both sides say they remain committed to reaching an agreement.
Portland’s Trail Blazers and the city remain far apart on a new 20-year Moda Center lease as negotiations center on public funding and how the funds would be used; the City Council is set to vote Aug. 12 on the draft term sheet, while owner Tom Dundon has signaled a deal only with roughly $575 million in public funding. The state’s package depends on local funding, with $208 million to be provided locally and $120 million already earmarked by the city, though details and uses are still unclear. The Blazers have been reluctant to share specifics or commit to a Thursday work session, and leaders on both sides have publicly pressed for more transparency amid ongoing talks.
Portland has enlisted three outside firms to lead negotiations with the Trail Blazers over Moda Center renovations, signaling that city officials will not helm the talks. A contentious draft term sheet has raised concerns from the Blazers and city leaders, with a final deal targeted by year’s end and an estimated $600 million in public funding. The state, Multnomah County, and the city will all participate, with negotiators Carl Hirsh (Stafford Sports), Denis Braham (Greenberg Traurig), and Damien Hall (Dunn Carney) taking the lead.
Two Multnomah County commissioners proposed reducing the county’s share of the Moda Center renovation by $35 million ahead of this week’s vote.
The Moda Center funding dispute between the City of Portland and the Trail Blazers tightens, with reports that the team could reset negotiations and even renounce the $365 million state commitment as it weighs a new deal; new ownership reportedly questions terms like labor requirements and Albina-area partnerships, while the city says the Blazers have not yet replied to the current term sheet and talks appear stalled amid public sparring.
Twenty-four suburban mayors around Portland urged city and Multnomah County leaders to push a solid public funding package for Moda Center renovations to keep the Trail Blazers from relocating, as Portland weighs about $120 million in city funding and the county about $88 million; the city released a rough term sheet calling for a 20-year stay, $3 million annual payments from owners, renewable energy, discounted concessions and other community benefits, with an Aug. 12 City Council vote and ongoing negotiations amid NBA feedback.
The City of Portland has issued a first-term offer sheet detailing conditions for the Blazers’ involvement in Moda Center renovations, including a 20-year non-relocation commitment, labor-peace requirements, caps on public funding and cost overruns, a $3 million annual property tax offset to be shared with the city, county, and Portland Public Schools, and mandates for community access, local hiring, sustainability, and Albina-area partnerships. The move comes after ongoing public sniping between the city and the team, with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver saying negotiations were “off track.” State and county funding has been approved, and the city says it’s awaiting essential information from the Blazers to move forward.
Portland city officials have sent an initial term sheet to the Trail Blazers outlining the city’s first proposal in a long‑term deal to keep the team, a move that comes as negotiations resume after the NBA said talks were off track.
With Joan Beringer out with back tightness, Minnesota leaned on a shuffled bench in Las Vegas. Rocco Zikarsky flashed scoring ability—finishing with 18 points on 13 shots—though he struggled defensively and on rebounds. Isaiah Stewart again scuffled from deep, while Zyon Pullin stood out as the Wolves’ best guard option, posting a 16-point double-double and solid defense. Trey Kaufman-Renn impressed with physicality and potential. The Wolves wrap Summer League play against the Indiana Pacers next.
The Memphis Grizzlies traded Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers for forwards Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. Morant would join a Portland backcourt that already includes Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson, and Damian Lillard, with the Blazers weighing additional moves and other targets. The deal balances salaries under Portland’s cap constraints, while Morant’s off‑court and injury history looms as context for the trade.
Jaylen Brown pushed back at analytics critics as Celtics trade rumors with Portland swirl, with reports suggesting a deal could involve Jerami Grant and a young guard (Scoot Henderson or Shaedon Sharpe) and possibly Toumani Camara, depending on picks; Boston is clear on roster options, projecting Neemias Queta and Jordan Walsh onto the 15-man squad while Dalano Banton, Amari Williams and Max Shulga have non-guaranteed deals; Isaiah Thomas has joined the Celtics’ scouting staff and helped guide the Dillon Mitchell pick, underscoring ongoing front-office activity.
Blazers owner Tom Dundon addressed the Portland Metro Chamber about financing for Moda Center renovations, outlining a funding plan and signaling ongoing collaboration with city leaders on how to cover the improvements.