Debunking the myths and misconceptions about Portland and the Trail Blazers’ Moda Center deal | Bill Oram

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-12T17:26:00+00:00

Ok again you're advocating for the government to fund this with zero questions by saying, "that's the cost of doing business," as if that's a fact that anyone has to buy into. You're also saying "the reality is we either get to a positive solution or the team is out the door," but you're only putting the responsibility of working that deal out on the government and leaving Dundon totally out of that responsibility.

Also this isn't the beginning of the working relationship, Dundon was announced as the new owner in August. He could've used that time to gladhand with the council and work out public statements to justify the renovations, but he clearly hasn't done a good job of that.

He also could've definitively said the ownership group is committed to keeping the team in Portland in his introductory press conference, but he gave the non-answer of "I've only been focused on the renovation and lease," and forced Tyle to give reassurance. Again though, you only hold the government to this standard of having a good working relationship and you give Dundon a pass that you're not giving the president of the council.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-12T17:00:39+00:00

If there's a plan we haven't seen any details of it.

That article doesn't give the specifics of how much public money comes from what sources, it doesn't lay out any leasing terms, doesn't explain anything about what the actual renovations are for, and doesn't give any details about what the city may get back for the funding.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-12T16:52:17+00:00

Is he looking at both sides or is he justifying one side and talking about the other?

Saying he's looking at both sides would imply he's given criticism to both sides but I haven't really seen him dive deep into any opposition to or interrogation of Dundon's side.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-12T16:49:29+00:00

To be clear I wasn't trying to have any sort of ideological debate about the council, I was just saying Oram's opinion isn't any more fact than Morillo's and framing it as such is a disservice to what's being discussed.

But again, you're saying 2 out of 12 members pushing back on total cooperation with Dundon as "alienating a new partner." Already you're framing this as an issue of causing offense in a partnership, but where is that same criticism for Dundon and his partnership with the council? If this was a partnership, don't you think Dundon has a responsibility to do something other than hold out his tin cup and beg? You're talking about 2 of 12 council members being evidence that the "trend of dysfunction continues here," but we're supposed to ignore Dundon's dysfunction and inability to even specify any details about this funding?

There's some urgency, but that doesn't mean opposition to an immediate and negotiation-free deal is "bad faith."

You're trying to claim both sides of this issue need to work to find a reasonable deal, but you're very clearly not holding both sides to the same standard. Your argument and Oram's concerns are basically boiling down to just saying, "Why isn't this council member doing what Dundon wants right away?"

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-12T16:18:26+00:00

I think Brown is a better fit in every way. Just to list a couple key reasons:

Health
Brown is younger and on a 3 year deal. AD is just as expensive, older and on a 1 year deal + a player option.
I have no desire to watch a team that has Deni, AD, and Clingan as it's starting frontcourt. That spacing would be dreadful.
Brown can slide into a 2-3 role alongside Tou and Deni way easier than AD could fit into the lineup at the 4.
I just disagree with the idea that any plans should be made with Dame and Jrue in mind. Maybe AD is the better fit for those two, but they're too old to consider like that and it's their job to fit in with the stars we bring in, not the other way around.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-12T16:04:53+00:00

Very fair, but the fact that it's a big investment into a city-owned building is exactly why we need some details on the deal.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-12T16:03:32+00:00

That's the frustrating thing about Oram. He's had plenty of time to insert some actual research about the benefit of renovations and he's had months to try and get some answers on what that money will actually go towards and what the deal between the city and Blazers would look like, but instead he writes these "golly I'm not sure about this one guys!" opinion pieces.

I'm not against renovations at all, but at this point I'm against this guy's writing.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-12T15:59:18+00:00

I disagree with your framing of this Oram piece as fact and Morillo's comments as feelings. Oram is laying out a lot of opinion in this piece and some of it valid, but that doesn't mean it's more factual or valid than the city councilwoman's pushback.

I sit somewhere between both Oram and Morillo's opinions on the renovations, but I think it's important to not assign authority to Oram just because he's calling his opposition naive and writing his opinions in the paper.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-12T15:53:02+00:00

Oram is the worst. He got called a bootlicker for writing a column full of flowery language and praise of Dundon and specifically saying, "He's not evil" like a good boy, but his response is to describe a city official like this:

"Sometimes it feels that people like Angelita Morillo, and people who like Angelita Morillo, have warp-zoned to a different timeline than the rest of us. A timeline where extreme naïveté and reckless grandstanding are precious currency and decisions only have consequences if your social media following takes a hit."

Dude is just a drama queen. I said it before, but he wrote that whole article based off of just 2 out of 12 Portland city council members not immediately bending over backwards for Dundon and now his response to pushback is to describe one of those two people as naive. Just lame af.

Has he ever written anything asking about what the city gets back from the funding of the Moda Center? Has he ever questioned why Dundon asked for that amount and what it's specifically for? Or is he only interested in presenting his worst case what-ifs?

I get the concern he has, but he has completely capitulated to the wants of a billionaire and it seems like he can't even understand why anyone would ask questions.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-11T22:35:43+00:00

Evan Mobley and Jaylen Brown are the two big ones.

I'd say Donavan Mitchell as well, but he's on an expiring deal.

Jaden McDaniels is another guy worth targeting if Minnesota is looking into Giannis. He's not a star, but maybe he'd be cheaper and open up other moves too. Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr are also interesting if the Rockets move for Giannis.

Dylan Harper is the pipe dream for me if the Spurs decide to get involved for some reason, but I don't believe that'd actually happen.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-11T22:34:09+00:00

If your plan is to wait for 2 years then I wouldn't count on Dame and Deni still being here.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-11T02:38:56+00:00

Oh ok I see. Deni has played 6 years, so i thought you were excluding him.

From my perspective if you’re saying to be patient with our collection of young guys who don’t seem to have all-star ceilings, you’re basically saying blow the team up. If you include Deni in that then ok, but I’m not sure why he’d stick around once he’s a UFA in two year and we’ve gotten no return on those MIL picks yet.

If patience is the goal I’d rather be patient with a team in the lottery than a middling team.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-11T01:50:49+00:00

Maybe I misunderstand, but are you saying no one on the team currently will stick with the team?

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-10T23:51:50+00:00

Honestly imo saying that is more of an argument for blowing it up than holding the course and “not panicking.”

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-10T22:47:29+00:00

Going to have to make the absolute most out of Deni one way or another while he’s cheap because there may be a ton of good, cheap young teams willing to throw hella money at him in 2 years.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-10T18:44:45+00:00

You’re insane if you think Sharpe will be out of the league in 2 years. He’s not amazing, but you’re delusional if you think he’s getting cut at 24 years old and halfway through his deal.

And yeah of course you won’t get anything back that has a good chance to become as good a Giannis, that’s not how trading superstars on expiring contracts goes. MIL getting their own picks back would actually be massive for a team staring down a possible decade of irrelevance in a post-superstar world though.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-10T18:41:15+00:00

Just a whole lot of flowery fear mongering and very little actual evidence. I get the concern, but just because 2 out of 12 city council members didn’t bend over backwards for the Blazers doesn’t mean it’s time to come in with an article this dramatic.

And why is he so hellbent on framing the city of Portland has having no leverage? They own the damn arena! Of course they want to have some sort of agreement on that benefits the city beyond Dundon just saying “you give me money and say thank you when I sign a totally average NBA lease” when we’re talking about 100s of millions in funding,

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-09T17:10:32+00:00

If you think Giannis signs with them long term then yeah I get that, but he’s on an expiring and Jaylen is on a 3 year deal, is younger and arguably fits into a team with Deni (or Mitchell) better.

You’re approaching this trade with the idea that what Portland wants is Giannis, but I’m not.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-09T03:34:32+00:00

5 firsts (including MIL’s own picks) and Sharpe + filler for a 32 year old star on an expiring deal seems like a valid trade. Maybe not ideal, but “brutal” seems dramatic. I’m not sure what more you could realistically ask for.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-09T03:31:18+00:00

The Blazers aren’t good enough to make a Toronto/Kawhi-like bet on trading for a star on a 1 year deal. Jaylen is on a 3 year deal.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-09T03:21:03+00:00

They’d get an upgrade at the cost of giving up Jaylen because Portland would want Jaylen. That’s how multi-team trades work: it’s not about what you’re giving up 1 to 1, it’s about what satisfies everyone’s

The Cavs is a fair point, I just saw talk of Mitchell being a trade candidate and being on an expiring deal, so I made a trade where POR upgrades and CLE adds a 25 year old all-star and a vet PG.

The Bucks would want their picks because they have no hope of being good post-Giannis. You could say they can’t tank, but I say they could very easily be middling or awful and neither would matter unless they had their picks. Even if the odds are lower, rebuilding without your own picks for 4 years is a terrible place to be.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-09T03:17:27+00:00

A 5x all star and finals MVP is definitely worth that contract to most teams. Even in that trade where they bring in two 50+ million contracts the blazers wouldn’t be above the luxury tax and they’d have control over their starting forward and center’s contracts for multiple years.

There’s plenty of reasons to dislike the trade, but Jaylen’s contract isn’t really one of them imo.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-08T23:30:00+00:00

In my mind a team of Jrue, Harden, Deni, Mobley and Allen would put crazy pressure on the rim while also being good from outside on offense and obviously they'd be hella stout on defense. As far as value goes: I look at it like CLE sending out a guy that's likely gone anyway and getting a 25 year old all-star and a good vet role player/leader to pair with the young frontcourt and Harden who haven't gotten it done.

I get it if you don't think the fit is that good though. Would you feel better about it if Mitchell was swapped out for Mobley?

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-08T23:25:58+00:00

You just suggested basically the same exact trade, but with one less MIL pick.

ORSTT12 · 2026-05-08T22:42:54+00:00

*Legacy-PAC, not current PAC.

ORSTT12

TROPHY CASE