The Latest on the Blazers' Negotiations Regarding New Arena Deal

The Portland Trail Blazers are trying to work on a new arena deal to keep them at the Moda Center and in the city, but it's proving more difficult than expected.

Tom Dundon is introduced during the first half during a game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the New Orleans Pelicans. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Portland Trail Blazers fans shouldn't feel good about the latest update in the saga of a new arena deal for the franchise.

The franchise and city are far apart in negotiations for a new arena deal, which expires in 2030, but has a team option for 2035. The Moda Center has been open since 1995 and is in need of some upgrades in order to keep up with the rest of the NBA. A vote is scheduled for Aug. 12, but it's clear the two sides aren't in agreement and don't appear close to one.

A city council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, which Portland council president Jamie Dunphy invited the Blazers to attend to further discuss what's next.

“We have no substantive information about what they want, what they don’t want or what a successful partnership with the city, county and state would look like,” Dunphy said via The Athletic insider Jason Quick. “We heard through the press that they were dissatisfied with the term sheet, but got no feedback.

“It feels like they are either disinterested in transparency and accountability with public dollars, which is a nonstarter, or they are simply going through the motions to run out the clock and burn any remaining goodwill in the city and wait for the government to give them an excuse and move the team.

“I can make a guess which it is, but have no concrete details to tell me this. In life, I always try to assume the best and not assume malicious intent, but this doesn’t seem like incompetence. It seems intentional.”

Blazers, Portland City Council Far Apart in Moda Center Negotiations

An outside view of the Moda Center. | USA TODAY Sports

Blazers president Dewayne Hankins responded to Dunphy's request, saying that he hopes a new arena deal comes together but wishes the negotiations were a little smoother.

“I’d like to turn the rhetoric down and not have these conversations in the media, to be honest,” Hankins said via Quick. “It’s not helpful. It’s not effective. I just want to get a deal done and this is not the way for us to get a deal done.”

What This Means For the Blazers

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori answers questions from the press conference. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As of now, there's no way that a deal is coming to fruition on Aug. 12. The two sides have a lot of progress to make between now and then. Based on what's being reported, there is a frosty connection between the two sides that needs to thaw in order to get the ball rolling.

The vote on a new 20-year lease can be extended into December. If the Blazers go into the upcoming season without a new arena deal, it will create a lot of frustration between the fan base and the organization. Several people are already starting to feel angry towards new owner Tom Dundon. It certainly won't make things better.

This type of thing can become a distraction for a Blazers team that will be trying to break out of the middle of the pack in a crowded Western Conference, where they are not guaranteed to be in the playoffs.

Portland finished in seventh place in the Western Conference this past season and are adding Ja Morant and Damian Lillard to the mix. While those players improve the team on paper, the fit isn't seamless as both are coming off of long-term injuries.

All of this, coupled with the learning curve that comes with incorporating a new head coach's system in Micah Nori, could hurt the Blazers in the long run, so the sooner this distraction is minimized, the better off Portland will be.