Adam Silver Won’t Rule Out Trail Blazers Relocation But Calls It A Personal "Failure"
Adam Silver says losing the Portland Trail Blazers would be a “failure” as Tom Dundon and city officials work toward a long-term Moda Center deal before December’s funding deadline.
Adam Silver has made his position on the Portland Trail Blazers clear, even as the team's future remains tied to a difficult arena deal. The NBA commissioner said he would see it as a “failure” if the Trail Blazers left Portland, but he did not completely rule out relocation. His comments came after the NBA Board of Governors meeting in New York, with owner Tom Dundon still trying to reach a long-term agreement with Portland officials over renovations to the Moda Center.
Adam Silver Wants Trail Blazers To Stay In Portland
Silver said his hope is for the Trail Blazers to remain in Oregon, but he also made it clear that the arena situation has to be fixed. “It is my hope and belief that the Portland Trailblazers or the Trailblazers can be successful in Portland, Oregon,” Silver said. He added that Dundon needs a deal with city and state officials that makes running the team in Portland viable long term.
The commissioner also pointed to the Moda Center itself as a major part of the problem. “We need a state-of-the-art arena,” Silver said, adding that the current building is near the bottom among NBA arenas by modern standards. The arena opened in 1995 and now hosts both the Trail Blazers and the WNBA's Portland Fire, along with concerts and other events.
That is where the talks with Dundon become important. Portland City Council approved a nonbinding term sheet in August that aims to keep the Trail Blazers in the city for at least another 20 years. The next stage is a final agreement, with Portland officials and the team still working through lease and funding details before the December 31 deadline.
Tom Dundon And Portland Face A December Deadline
The money behind the renovation plan is already on the table, but the final deal is not. Oregon has committed $365 million, while Portland's term sheet includes $120 million for the renovation. Multnomah County has committed $88 million, with another $13.6 million proposed for ongoing eligible costs. The wider project has been valued at roughly $586 million.
Portland City Council approved the term sheet by an 8-4 vote on August 12. The proposal calls for the Trail Blazers to remain at the city-owned Moda Center under a long-term agreement. The city also wants protections and financial returns tied to its investment before a final contract comes back for approval.
The clock is now a major part of the story. Portland and the Trail Blazers still have to settle the remaining terms, while Oregon's $365 million commitment expires on December 31 if an agreement is not reached. Silver said he recently spoke with Dundon and offered the league's help, while asking everyone involved to “lower the temperature” in the negotiations.
For now, there is no relocation decision, and the Trail Blazers have not announced plans to leave Portland. Team president Dewayne Hankins said the organization wants to keep working with its partners on an agreement supporting the long-term future of the team, the city-owned arena and the Trail Blazers.
Silver's message leaves the situation fairly simple: he wants Portland to keep its NBA team, but the league also needs a modern arena and a deal that works for the franchise. With the current lease running through 2030 and public funding facing a December deadline, the next few months could decide how Portland's basketball future takes shape.