Not much help, as usual
It would be comical, if it weren't sad. The Blazers' fragile and underachieving center, Jusuf Nurkic, is now issuing ultimatums.
He's lucky he's still in the league. In a couple of years, he won't be.
When a player with no real portfolio starts mouthing off, you know the future of a sports franchise is not bright. Suddenly, we need to think about adding the Blazers to the list of things that are dying in Portland.
If Jody Allen really wanted a championship team, Nurk would be in the second Uber out. The first would be transporting Neil Olshey. Instead, she's probably got brokers out looking for a buyer for the team, and they aren't going to find any in town. The way I hear it, Paul Allen's commitment to stay in Portland, even if it is legally binding now, has only a few more years to run.
I read that the Moda lease runs out in 2025. The Vegas casino moguls could have a new arena ready for them before then. The move makes sense for ownership. The value of the Raiders doubled in the five years after they got the greenlight to move to Vegas. Portland hasn't hit bottom yet and whenever it does, it will probably take another decade to rebound.
ReplyDeleteDoes the lease matter? I think Jody's on both sides of it, in which case it's just a piece of paper. But I think Paul signed something with the City of Portland when the arena was being planned.
ReplyDeleteIf Zack can come back healthy and stronger, Nurk may leave long before Lilliard goes. Get Kevin Love in a buyout and we have a backup for Collins. I like Nurk, but his body and his mind don't seem too stable.
ReplyDeleteI think Collins may be done in the NBA, certainly as a starter. Like Nurk, he's made of glass. Package him with everybody but Dame and get a star, if anyone's fool enough to take the package.
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