The Portland Trail Blazers have been rumored to be in the process of being bought by Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon, which alongside the Moda Center’s limitations has led to a growing concern that the franchise may be moved out of the city. While the sale is expected to be completed around March 2026, a number of fans, including Denver Nuggets’ head coach David Adelman, do not want the Trail Blazers to move.

Adelman was asked about his favorite childhood memories from Portland, and his response became an impassioned plea.

“They gotta keep the team here. They gotta find a way to do that. This is a basketball city. The Northwest deserves two teams. That would be crushing for this community… Emotionally, I know what this place is and what it means to have a professional basketball team here. It's not just something to go hang out at. It's something go and be a part of,” he said per a post on X by journalist Brenna Greene.

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Adelman spent a major part of his childhood in Portland as he is the son of former Trail Blazers head coach Rick Adelman, who also previously played for the team. The Trail Blazers have been in Portland for more than 55 years, but the expected approval of Tom Dundon’s purchase at a valuation exceeding $4 billion may change things.

The arena’s infrastructure limitations, combined with the new ownership and the fact that the long-term lease expires in 2030 has brought in uncertainty about the future. The Trail Blazers are the region’s only major men’s professional sports franchise in leagues such as the NBA, NFL, MLB, or NHL, which further adds to the importance of the team staying in the city.

However, the immediate relocation appears unlikely. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has indicated that relocation is “not on the table now,” though the phrasing leaves the future uncertain, per WRAL News.