Here's the reality of a situation that's been taken out of context by some.
As new Portland Trail Blazers ownership continues to be a major topic of conversation, the future of the franchise in Portland is now becoming part of that discussion as well.
Bill Oram of The Oregonian recently warned that city officials should not treat the possibility of relocation as a hollow bluff. In his column, Oram referenced multiple alternate cities as hypothetical examples of places the Blazers could theoretically become a threat to leave for if the political and financial situation surrounding the Moda Center continues to deteriorate.
The important thing to note is that new owner Tom Dundon has not publicly said he’s open to moving the Blazers, nor has he issued a formal relocation threat. This is more so Oram sounding the alarm about the seriousness of the current negotiations and the leverage ownership could potentially have if discussions around arena funding continue to stall.
Right now, there is a very real political and financial battle taking place in Portland regarding renovations to the 31-year-old Moda Center. The state has already approved hundreds of millions of dollars toward the project, but that funding is tied to multiple conditions, including the Blazers committing to a long-term lease agreement and local government entities following through on their own financial commitments toward the renovation effort.
That’s where the tension comes into play.
Some city leaders reportedly do not believe relocation is a realistic possibility and have pushed back on the idea of committing public money toward certain aspects of the project. On the other side, Oram’s argument is that underestimating ownership’s willingness to apply pressure could be a dangerous game for Portland to play, especially as the NBA continues to expand its footprint and other cities remain interested in landing a franchise.
Given the numerous reports that have surfaced around Dundon since taking over as one of the majority owners, the idea that he could use relocation pressure as leverage doesn’t necessarily feel far-fetched. He’s already made several aggressive cost-cutting moves, he’s seemingly open to unconventional approaches in the organization’s coaching search and there have been reports suggesting he could aggressively pursue major roster changes and superstar-level talent.
Overall, significant change does not appear to be off the table under Dundon’s leadership style.
So could Dundon use relocation pressure to strengthen the Blazers’ negotiating position regarding the Moda Center situation? Absolutely. That feels believable.
But has he outright said he plans to move the franchise if the city doesn’t cooperate? No. There’s currently no public evidence of that. At this point, this is more about the growing concern that Portland officials may not fully appreciate the amount of leverage ownership could eventually attempt to use if negotiations continue to become more contentious.