Blazers Executive Drops Serious Bad News About Relocation Out Of Portland

There had been real concerns about the Portland Trail Blazers’ future in their city amid the tense and highly crucial negotiations between the team and the city over its home arena. 

While those talks remain stalled, a Blazers executive gave off a serious, grim news about the city, which could be the fatal blow that would drag the team away from Portland. 

According to Dewayne Hankins, Blazers’ President of Business Operations, there are bigger problems in the city in terms of its economic state that could continue to stall the negotiations and potentially move the team out of Portland. 

“The arena is only a small piece of that bigger picture,” Hankins said in Portland City Hall on Thursday. “Portland’s current stagnant business climate, high income taxes, and divisive political environment make this a tough city to invest in. It makes it harder to sell tickets, secure corporate partnerships and recruit players.”

Why The Portland Trail Blazers Statement Matters

GettySAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – APRIL 28: (L to R) Toumani Camara #33, Deni Avdija #8, and Vit Krejci #27 of the Portland Trail Blazers react during the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on April 28, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

The statement could be just another ploy for the team to fire back at city officials after their heated back-and-forth over the past few months, 

Intense NBA relocation rumors have been persisting due to a widening standoff between the city and new owner Tom Dundon over public funding for the Moda Center. 

Dundon, who purchased the team for $4.25 billion, is demanding roughly $600 million in taxpayer money for arena renovations as a requirement to sign a new 20-year lease. However, the Portland City Council and local leaders have balked, demanding detailed design plans and transparency regarding how public funds will be allocated.

The Portland City Council will be voting on an important draft term sheet that proposes a $120 million city contribution to keep the Trail Blazers in Portland on August 12. 

The council approval is vital because it unlocks a larger $365 million funding commitment already made by the State of Oregon, which is strictly contingent on the city approving its share alongside an $88 million package from Multnomah County.

Previously, Blazers executives have labeled the current draft term sheet a “non-starter.” On the other hand, the 12-member city council refuses to act as a “rubber stamp”. 

NBA Makes It A Goal To Keep The Trail Blazers In Portland

GettyINGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 14: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks at a press conference during 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend at Intuit Dome on February 14, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images)

The NBA has looked at the situation and wanted the team to remain in Portland, its home since the 1990s.

“I spent time with [new Trail Blazers owner] Tom [Dundon] and his partners here in Las Vegas,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said during the Summer League in Las Vegas. “What we are most focused on right now at the league office is the deal that we discussed when we were in Portland in March, I was hoping more progress would have been made by now on that agreement. 

“It seems to have gone off track in various ways. I have a colleague… who’s day-to-day on it. But we’re working with both sides to ensure that the Trail Blazers can have a long-term future in Portland. But there are several open issues that still need to be resolved.”

The Blazers joined the NBA as a 1970 expansion team, winning their lone championship in 1977. They played at the Memorial Coliseum before moving to the Rose Garden in 1995, which was renamed Moda Center in 2013.

It is not like the Blazers have assembled a bad team either, as the squad boasts the likes of franchise legend Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, Ja Morant, Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, and Donovan Clingan. 

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