According to four sources with knowledge of the negotiations, Dundon told city officials he would only meet if they put a number on that first-class condition. Meaning, what would it cost for the Trail Blazers to settle at the end of their lease in 2030 and for the city not to pursue litigation if the franchise relocated? The city ultimately complied and put a price tag on the Trail Blazers’ future that went well beyond the roughly $600 million the Trail Blazers are seeking in public funding for the renovations. The number they landed on was upwards of $1 billion. If Dundon wants to move, it’s going to cost him. “He went crazy,” one source said of the Trail Blazers’ owner.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Tom Dundon 'went crazy' after Portland set $1 billion-plus price tag for Blazers to leave