Though they have made their share of moves this offseason, much of the recent talk surrounding the Portland Trail Blazers has been about their arena and a potential move out of the city.
With the Moda Center in dire need of an upgrade, discussions have taken place between owner Tom Dundon and the city of Portland, and, needless to say, they have not gone well thus far. Now, Portland is using the likes of a fellow Western Conference team in an attempt to strong-arm the city into granting them a brand new stadium.
According to The Athletic, the Blazers have been examining the OKC Thunder's situation regarding the new arena that is currently being built in Oklahoma City. The city gladly paid the $900 million to get the job done with little to no issues.
Trail Blazers view Portland's offer as a slap in the face compared to the Thunder's
In comparison, the Blazers were offered a 20-year lease by the city of Portland that would include $600 million in public funds that would go toward Moda Center renovations. Some back-and-forth debating gave Dundon enough time to evaluate stadium deals done by other franchises such as the Thunder. As a result, he came to the conclusion that Portland's offer was well under market value.
Given the stadium situations of the Thunder and others, the Blazers franchise and their beloved home city are at odds, so much so, in fact, that whispers of relocation have begun to circulate.
Former Blazer Channing Frye flamed the rumors when he discussed the potential move on Yahoo Sports Daily. He talked about how the Moda Center is a "standalone" arena, where people attend the game and leave. There is nothing surrounding the center, which is something that doesn't work in today's NBA economy.
If Portland neglects to give the franchise what they desperately need, it appears that a relocation is well within reason. Though it might take a few years, such a possibility remains the Blazers' greatest point of leverage until their current contract expires in 2030.
With a promising young roster and a slew of ambitious offseason moves, the Trail Blazers are in position to turn some heads this season. Whether their stadium drama will serve as a distraction remains to be seen, but a few consecutive years of success will certainly not hurt Dundon's case in leveraging a new deal in the coming months.
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