How Trail Blazers Intend to Use Newly-Purchased Real Estate Next to Practice Facility
The Portland Trail Blazers just bought a fresh bit of real estate neighboring their Tualatin practice facility to the tune of a $4.6 million sticker tag, reports Andrew Miller of The Oregonian.
With the new space, Portland intends to improve and build out its current digs, according to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report.
Highkin speculates that this pricey purchase from current owner Jody Allen would indicate she doesn't intend to sell the team. Her interest in owning it as opposed to potentially cashing out had long been questioned by league pundits. Allen inherited the team after her brother, Paul, left it to her following his passing.
Portland has been tanking for the past three seasons under current head coach Chauncey Billups. The team holds a miserable 81-165 overall record during that stretch, but has accrued intriguing young pieces, and plenty of tradable older ones. In this year's draft, the Trail Blazers boast four picks total, including a pair of lottery selections. Though it's unclear if any of the rostered talent in Portland can eventually reach All-Star status, players like 2023 No. 3 draft pick Scoot Henderson and 2022 No. 7 draft pick do at least have that level of upside still, while intriguing young gems like Toumani Camara, Duop Reath, Dalano Banton and Kris Murray all still have plenty of promise themselves.
The Trail Blazers will have several more swings as they piece together this young roster. The team should still be terrible in 2024-25, a fate which would see them ideally positioned for what's expected to be a much stronger draft. In the mean time, they'll have some fancier new facilities with which to train these guys up.
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ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM
Clyde, Rick Barry, and Pistol Pete Now these players, could never be beat.