Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers and the city of Portland, Oregon, have reportedly agreed to extend the team's lease at Moda Center by five years.

According to Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report, the lease had been set to expire in October 2025, but the extension ensures the Blazers will continue playing at Moda Center into 2030.

Highkin added that the agreement includes an option to extend the lease another five years into 2035 as well.

Per Highkin, the agreement is set to be presented to the Portland City Council next week, at which point it is expected to be approved.

Originally known as the Rose Garden, Moda Center has been home to the Blazers since 1995, meaning the extension will take the venue to at least the 35-year mark as the team's arena.

According to Highkin, the extension is viewed as a "bridge deal" in that the goal is to continue negotiating to eventually reach another agreement that would lead to Moda Center renovations and a development project around the arena.

Blazers president of business operations Dewayne Hankins and Portland mayor Ted Wheeler were reportedly the main players involved in negotiating the extension.

The Trail Blazers were added to the NBA as expansion team in 1970, and after missing the playoffs in their first six seasons, they won their first and only NBA championship in 1977 thanks largely to the play of Hall of Fame center Bill Walton.

Portland has experienced a great deal of success since then, returning to the NBA Finals twice, but it has yet to win another title.

The Blazers reached the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons from 2014 through 2021 behind superstar guard Damian Lillard, but they are now trending toward missing the playoffs for a third straight year.

Portland traded Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks during the offseason, signaling the start of a rebuilding phase.

It could take a couple of years before the Blazers are back in the playoff mix, but their short-term future at Moda Center appears to be secured.

The Portland Trail Blazers will be without one of their veteran leaders for the foreseeable future.

The team announced on Sunday that point guard Malcolm Brogdon will be re-evaluated in two weeks after he received treatment for tendinitis in his right elbow.

Brogdon, who was acquired as part of a trade with the Boston Celtics this offseason, is one of the most seasoned players on a youthful Blazers team that ranks second-to-last in the Western Conference with a 15-37 record. The reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year was rumored to be a potential trade candidate, but Portland chose to retain him at Thursday's trade deadline.

Brogdon has played 39 games with 25 starts this season and is averaging 15.7 points, 5.5 assists and 3.8 rebounds. He hasn't played since Feb. 2, and his extended absence comes at a terrible time for the Blazers.

In addition to Brogdon being sidelined, second-year swingman Shaedon Sharpe had core muscle surgery on Friday and will be re-evaluated in six weeks. Anfernee Simons, who is Portland's leading scorer at 23.4 ppg, suffered an ankle injury on Thursday against the Detroit Pistons and sat out Saturday's loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, which was the team's fourth straight.

Things won't get easier anytime soon for the Blazers. The team will play a back-to-back set against the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves before the All-Star break. Portland is certainly ready for the time off and will hope to get healthy for the second half of the season.

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Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard is intrigued by the possibility of becoming a part-owner of the Portland Trail Blazers after his playing days are over.

"Absolutely, absolutely," Lillard responded when asked about it. "I'll definitely be a participant in that."

The 33-year-old is a Trail Blazers icon, having spent the first 11 years of his career in Portland. He's the franchise's all-time leading scorer and his 2,387 three-pointers rank No. 1 among players to suit up for the team.

Lillard was traded to the Bucks in Oct. 2023 after the Trail Blazers finished their second consecutive season with a losing record. He was dealt in a three-team trade that also involved the Phoenix Suns.

The future ownership of the Trail Blazers has been discussed for years after longtime team owner Paul Allen died in Oct. 2018.

Nike founder Phil Knight reportedly made a $2 billion offer to buy the team in 2022, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Jody Allen, Paul's sister, did not accept and issued a statement saying that she would not sell.

Although Lillard is enticed by the concept of part-ownership, it seems like an endeavor that may have to wait several years as he's still one of the best point guards in the NBA. He was named to his eighth All-Star team in 2024 by averaging 25.0 points and 6.8 assists per game on 42.7/34.5/92.2 shooting splits.

Deandre Ayton's inaugural year with the Portland Trail Blazers has left a lot to be desired.

Ayton's first few months with the team "were defined by tardiness and tantrums," according to Jason Quick of The Athletic. Quick compared Ayton to Trail Blazers center Hassan Whiteside due to his ability to stuff the stat sheet but have "little to no impact on a game."

In just 34 appearances this season, the 25-year-old is averaging a career-low 13.8 points per game.

Ayton was acquired by Portland during the blockbuster trade of franchise icon Damian Lillard prior to the regular season after playing the first five years of his career with the Phoenix Suns. In his final year with the Suns, the former No. 1 overall pick averaged 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game on 58.9 percent shooting.

He's struggled to stand out on a young Portland team that currently owns a record of just 15-36, including a loss at the hands of the eight-win Detroit Pistons on Thursday night. Ayton has been plagued by knee issues throughout the season, missing 17 games.

His reported displeasure behind the scenes isn't exactly surprising, as his time in Phoenix was also highlighted by several disagreements. They occurred with former head coach Monty Williams frequently, as the two were seen publicly arguing in Dec. 2022 (per Yahoo Sports' Tyler Greenawalt).

When the he faced off against his former team on Nov. 21, Suns superstar Devin Booker acknowledged the difference in Ayton's intensity compared to other games.

"He played extra hard tonight," Booker said. "I seen that, and my challenge for him is to play like that every night."

If he's unable to string together consistent performances while struggling to stay on the floor, the Trail Blazers could decide to explore trades for the center, who has two years and $69 million remaining on his contract. (via Spotrac).

Damian Lillard is no longer a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, but he is still a franchise legend.

And the fans at Moda Center reacted accordingly during his first return to Portland as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday by giving him a rousing ovation when he was introduced as part of the visitors' starting lineup:

He was appreciative of the reception and even gave the crowd a thumbs up.

It was exactly what he expected.

"I expect it to be a lot of love, honestly," he told reporters before the game. "I've always had a great relationship with the city and a great relationship with the fans. I don't see that changing at all. We had a lot of great times, a lot of high moments, and we've shared some low moments. We was always in the fight. We always had sell out crowds, and I showed up and did what I needed to do, every night."

Portland selected Lillard with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft, and he played the first 11 seasons of his career for the team. He was a seven-time All-NBA selection, seven-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year and member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team during his time with the Trail Blazers.

He also became the franchise's all-time leading scorer and was known for delivering in the clutch moments as the city fell in love with him.

While he is now being greeted as a visitor, don't rule out a potential comeback down the line.

After all, he told reporters before the game he always felt his career would end wearing a Trail Blazers uniform.

Portland Trail Blazers point guard Malcolm Brogdon is one of the top names believed to be available ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline, but his preference would be to not go anywhere.

"I'm happy here. I'm valued here. Valued in this leadership/lead-guard role," Brogdon told The Athletic's Jason Quick. "And I can't complain with that. I'm happy in Portland."

The Blazers acquired Brogdon in October as part of the deal that sent point guard Jrue Holiday to the Boston Celtics. Many expected that the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year would be flipped to another team, as Portland is in the midst of a rebuild. However, Brogdon said that he has yet to have discussions with the organization about possibly being traded.

"And honestly, that isn't even something I've been focused on,'' he said. "We haven't really talked about that. Of course, I'm sure they are looking at their options, but for me, it's all about using every opportunity to play good basketball and help this team win."

At 14-33, the Blazers are likely to miss the playoffs for the third straight year. In 37 games with 23 starts, Brogdon is averaging 15.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists. He said he believes his value comes in being a mentor to rookie point guard Scoot Henderson and the rest of Portland's young players.

"When I was first traded, I viewed it as an opportunity. I really did," Brogdon said. "You can ask people around me how my energy was in training camp. I was excited to be here. I was excited to be with a championship coach. And I was excited to go from a place where I wasn't as valued, and go to a place where I am very valued."

Brogdon and the Blazers will be back in action on Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks.

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Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard may have requested a trade from the Trail Blazers during the offseason, but the veteran point guard can see himself returning to Portland in the future.

"I see there being a time where I play for the Trail Blazers," Lillard said, according to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. "But it won't be right now. I play for the Bucks. To accomplish what we want to accomplish, you've got to be all in on that. And I was traded and I'm all in to try to accomplish that here."

Lillard is preparing to play in Portland on Wednesday night for the first time since being traded to the Bucks in a blockbuster October deal that also included multiple first-round picks, Deandre Ayton, Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen and Jusuf Nurkic, among others.

"The Blazers just weren't in a time where winning a championship was possible or what was able to be done at the time," Lillard said of moving on from the team that drafted him. "While I'm my best self, I want to be able to play for that."

When Lillard requested the trade, he made it clear that his ideal destination was the Miami Heat.

After months of rumors linking Lillard to Miami, no deal came to fruition between the two sides, and the Trail Blazers took the best deal they could get in exchange for the seven-time All-Star, which came from the Bucks.

Following the deal that sent Lillard to Milwaukee, he admitted to Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports that Jimmy Butler had a lot to do with his desire to play for the Heat.

While the Trail Blazers have struggled to a 14-33 record this season and sit 14th in the Western Conference, Lillard is on a legitimate championship contender with the Bucks, which are second in the Eastern Conference with a 32-15 record.

Lillard isn't close to averaging the numbers he did in Portland last season—32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists—but he isn't under nearly as much pressure as he's sharing the scoring load with two-time Giannis Antetokounmpo this year.

The 33-year-old is averaging 25.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 44 games while shooting 42.2 percent from the floor and 34.7 percent from deep.

Milwaukee recently fired first-year head coach Adrian Griffin amid defensive struggles and replaced him with Doc Rivers, who made his debut with the Bucks on Monday in a 113-107 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Rivers will be looking to get his first win with the Bucks on Wednesday against the Trail Blazers in what is expected to be an emotional night for Lillard.

"I think it will be emotional because I care," Lillard said. "I loved playing in Portland. I loved living there and still live there. I'm not like a big crier. I don't think I'll be crying, and all of that. But I care. Everything I ever said about my time in Portland playing there, I meant that s--t. So, yeah, it will be."

The Portland Trail Blazers are deciding not to protest the team's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Per Wojnarowski, the Trail Blazers are "confident that they communicated their frustration to the league office about the final moments of the game" and will let the 48-hour deadline to officially protest expire.

Portland was reportedly intending to file one following the close loss, as head coach Chauncey Billups was ejected after his attempt to call a timeout late in the fourth quarter wasn't seen.

With the Trail Blazers leading by one point and less than 20 seconds remaining in the game, Billups attempted to call a timeout as point guard Malcolm Brodgon got trapped. The official didn't see his signal before Brogdon double dribbled as he attempted to break free, giving Oklahoma City the ball back.

Billups was furious that the timeout wasn't granted, picking up two technical fouls in quick succession as he was ejected from the game.

The Thunder hit one of the two technical free throws to tie the score at 109 apiece before Jalen Williams connected on a game-winning pull-up jumper.

"We've got timeouts," Billups told reporters after the game, per Wojnarowski. "Referees usually are prepared for that, you know, that instance, that situation. I'm at half court, trying to call a timeout. It's just frustrating. My guys played too hard for that. It's a frustrating play."

However, it appears that the Trail Blazers won't be pursuing an official protest. A team must pay $10,000 to file one, and the money is only refunded if it ends up being successful. It doesn't seem as though Portland's executives are interested in seeing if NBA commissioner Adam Silver was willing to uphold the protest and resume the game.

The Trail Blazers responded well in their following contest, an impressive 137-131 victory over the Houston Rockets in overtime on Wednesday.

It doesn't seem like the Portland Trail Blazers' challenge of Tuesday night's 111-109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder is going to be successful.

The NBA released the last-two minute report from the game and confirmed the double-dribble call against Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon with 15.7 seconds remaining was the correct one. It also said the two technical fouls then issued to Portland head coach Chauncey Billups were correct.

"Brogdon (POR) ends his dribble and gets trapped by Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) and Williams (OKC). He thereafter dribbles again," it read. "(An attempt to call a timeout by Coach Billups (POR) during this play is neither recognized nor granted by the officials.)"

It also described the second technical against Billups by saying he "aggressively follows and pursues a game official and is assessed a second unsportsmanlike technical foul and ejected from the game."

Portland held a narrow 109-108 lead when the sequence occurred.

Billups was attempting to call timeout before the officials called the double-dribble against Brogdon and then protested when he wasn't given it. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hit one of the two technical free throws to tie it, and Jalen Williams drilled what proved to be the game-winner on the ensuing possession.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Trail Blazers filed a protest with the NBA office because they believe the timeout should have been granted before the double-dribble violation.

If it was, the entire sequence of technical fouls and the Thunder getting the ball back in such a manner wouldn't have happened.

"I'm at halfcourt trying to call a timeout," Billups told reporters. "It's just a frustrating play. My guys played too hard for that. It's a frustrating play."

Crew chief Bill Kennedy addressed the situation after the game and said, "the referee in the slot position was refereeing the double-team that was right in front of him, which makes it difficult for, No. 1, to hear and, No. 2, to see a coach request a timeout behind him," per Lukas Weese and John Hollinger of The Athletic.

"He is taught to referee the play until completion."

Had Portland done a better job slowing Gilgeous-Alexander, it might not have been in such a situation. He finished with 33 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and five steals in an impressive performance.

To the Trail Blazers' credit, they bounced back from the loss with an overtime victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

The Portland Trail Blazers lost Tuesday's game to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they reportedly aren't accepting that result without a fight.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Portland filed an official protest with the NBA office to challenge the 111-109 defeat.

The end of the game was chaotic as Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups appeared to call timeout with his team nursing a 109-108 lead in the final seconds. Yet officials called Malcolm Brogdon for a double-dribble turnover with 15 seconds remaining instead.

Billups vehemently protested and was given two technical fouls and ejected. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made one of the ensuing two free throws to tie it, and Jalen Williams then hit what proved to be the game-winning jumper for the Thunder.

Yet the Trail Blazers filed the protest because they believe Billups was calling timeout before the double-dribble call that led to the game-changing sequence.

"We've got timeouts," the head coach told reporters. "Referees usually are prepared for that, you know, that instance, that situation. I'm at half court, trying to call a timeout. It's just frustrating. My guys played too hard for that, it's a frustrating play."

The ending somewhat overshadowed an excellent performance from Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 33 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and five steals.

As for Portland, it was another difficult result in what is turning into a lost season.

It fell to 12-31 on the campaign and an ugly 5-19 on the road. Only the 8-35 San Antonio Spurs have a worse record in the Western Conference, and the team is clearly in the early stages of a rebuilding process.

Next up for the Trail Blazers is another road game against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.