Silver Calls Potential Blazers Move ‘Failure’

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said on Sept. 15, 2026, after the Board of Governors meeting in New York, that he would see it as a failure if the Trail Blazers did not stay in Portland. He called local fans among the league's best and said the Moda Center ranks in the bottom of league arenas and needs state-of-the-art renovation for NBA, WNBA and other uses. Silver said he met at length with owner Tom Dundon in New York, including in a committee meeting, and hoped to lower the temperature while offering league help. Oregon pledged $365 million and Portland $120 million; Multnomah County funds are still required. Mayor Keith Wilson said the state, city and county approved a $573 term sheet and that all have a role in a long-term deal; other reports put the package near $600 million. City asks reported include a 20-year lease, a $3 million annual fee and union labor. Dundon has called Portland's business climate stagnant and cited higher Oregon taxes. State funding expires end of December. The lease runs through October 2030. The 2030 Women's Final Four is set for Portland. A deal with Dundon is still needed.