The Portland Trail Blazers’ franchise value is climbing fast ahead of a likely sale.
When longtime owner Paul Allen died in October 2018, he left the Blazers, the Seattle Seahawks, and other holdings — including a minority stake in MLS’s Seattle Sounders — to his sister, Jody Allen, via a trust. As executor of his estate, she’s tasked with eventually selling the sports teams.
Holding off may have paid off. NBA franchise prices are surging this year: the Grousbeck family’s controlling stake in the Boston Celtics is being sold to billionaire William Chisholm in a deal valuing the team at $6.1 billion, while the Buss family’s portion of the Los Angeles Lakers is being sold to Mark Walter at a $10 billion valuation.
While Portland’s small market means it won’t hit those numbers, the return will still be massive compared to Paul Allen’s $70 million purchase price in 1988. Bruce Schoenfeld of The Sports Business Journal reports that a recent AI estimate puts the Blazers’ worth at just under $4 billion — higher than CNBC’s recent $3.5 billion valuation. He notes that, like art at auction, actual bidding could push the final number even higher.
On the court, the Blazers are coming off a 36-46 season and another year without a playoff berth. GM Joe Cronin reshaped the roster by buying out center Deandre Ayton, drafting rookie big man Yang Hansen at No. 16, trading for six-time All-Defensive guard Jrue Holiday, and signing nine-time All-Star Damian Lillard — reuniting him with the franchise that drafted him in 2012. Lillard is rehabbing a torn Achilles and might miss the entire 2025-26 season.
Whether Chauncey Billups can guide Portland back to the playoffs remains to be seen.
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