NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is not happy with how the Portland Trail Blazers’ arena renovation talks are going, and he didn’t exactly hide it this week. Speaking at Summer League in Las Vegas, Silver made clear that the deal to refurbish Moda Center — one he personally signed off on back in March — has stalled in ways that have the league office paying closer attention than they’d like.
“I spent time with Tom and his partners here in Las Vegas,” Silver said, “and what we are most focused on right now, the league office, is the deal that we discussed when we were in Portland in March. I was hoping more progress would’ve been made by now on that agreement, and it seems to have gone off track in various ways. I have a colleague who’s day-to-day on it, but we are working with both sides to ensure the Trail Blazers can have a long-term future in Portland. But there are several open issues that still need to be resolved.”
That’s about as pointed as Silver gets in public. The subtext here is hard to miss: the NBA wants this done, and Portland needs to get its act together or risk losing the franchise.
Tom Dundon’s Cost-Cutting Reputation Is Catching Up
Tom Dundon bought the Blazers in 2025 and has been notoriously frugal since day one. That reputation hasn’t helped things. The renovation deal for Moda Center was supposed to be a win-win — keep the team in Portland, modernize the arena, lock in a long-term future. But negotiations have dragged on, and the local government is getting restless.
Portland City Council President Jamie Dunphy has reportedly grown frustrated with the lack of communication from the Blazers’ front office. He’s even asked the NBA for help mediating. So far, Dundon’s leadership has not made anyone feel great about the direction.
City councilors are scheduled to vote on a term sheet for the renovation by August 12. That’s less than a month away.
The Basketball Side Is Actually Pretty Exciting
Which makes all this political drama frustrating, because the on-court product in Portland is legitimately fun for the first time in years. The Blazers won 42 games last season and made the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Scoot Henderson and Deni Avdija are forming a young core that actually works.
Plus, Damian Lillard is returning from injury. Ja Morant just got traded to Portland in one of the biggest blockbusters of the offseason. The franchise has two stars and a bunch of developing talent. That’s a great spot to be in.
The Blazers have been in Portland since 1970. They’ve never left. But Silver’s comments make it clear that the league is watching these negotiations closely, and if the city and the owner can’t figure it out, relocation isn’t off the table. The NBA doesn’t like uncertainty around its franchises, and right now Portland has plenty of it.
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