NEW YORK (Diya TV) — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday that he wants the Portland Trail Blazers to remain in Oregon as the team and local officials negotiate a long-term lease and renovation plan for Moda Center.
“I would see it as a failure if we did not keep the team in Portland,” Silver said after the NBA Board of Governors meetings in New York.
Silver said he spoke with Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon about the negotiations and urged the team, Portland officials and state leaders to reach an agreement that keeps the franchise viable in the city. He said the NBA league office could assist in the talks.
The parties are negotiating a new lease and renovations to the city-owned Moda Center, which opened in 1995. The Trail Blazers’ current lease expires in 2030.
Oregon has committed up to $365 million in bonds toward the renovation. Multnomah County has authorized a framework for contributing up to $101.6 million, while Portland Mayor Keith Wilson has proposed a city contribution of up to $120 million. The Portland City Council has not yet approved that funding.
State funding requires the parties to sign a new lease by the end of December 2026. Without an agreement, Portland would not receive the $365 million state contribution.
Silver said Moda Center needs upgrades to meet modern NBA standards and serve both the Trail Blazers and the WNBA’s Portland Fire. He also called for both sides to lower tensions in the negotiations.
Dundon leads the ownership group that acquired the Trail Blazers from the estate of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in a deal reportedly valued at $4.25 billion. The NBA Board of Governors approved the sale in 2026.
Portland officials and the Trail Blazers continue to negotiate ahead of the December deadline.
