Trail Blazers issue response to Phil Knight reports
Feb 15, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Former player Chauncey Billups speaks during a ceremony honoring former Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders prior to a game against Los Angeles Lakers at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
The messages are very mixed regarding the possibility of a Portland Trail Blazers sale.
After reports emerged Thursday that Nike co-founder Phil Knight was interested in purchasing the team, the Trail Blazers issued a public statement confirming that Knight had made an offer, but that the franchise is not for sale.
Blazers statement: An offer was made by Phil Knight. The team remains not for sale.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 2, 2022
This may simply be a form of negotiation, or an attempt to control the narrative. Multiple reports had indicated, however, that Knight was part of a group offering upwards of $2 billion for the Trail Blazers. Perhaps the franchise is seeking a bigger price tag. Knight would certainly be able to afford it, with Bloomberg placing his net worth at $46 billion.
The Trail Blazers are currently owned by a trust in the name of former owner Paul Allen, who died in 2018.
