A Trail Blazers center carrying a $48 million contract has surfaced in trade chatter just as Dallas Mavericks governor Mark Cuban offers his take on Portland’s incoming owner. The twin storylines leave the franchise juggling uncertainty on the court and in the boardroom.
Blazers Notes: $48 Million Big Named Trade Candidate, Mark Cuban Talks New Portland Owner, More

Key Takeaways:
- A Portland center with a $48 million deal is listed as a trade candidate.
- The note appears in Sports Illustrated’s Blazers coverage dated August 18, 2025.
- Dallas Mavericks governor Mark Cuban spoke publicly about Portland’s new owner.
- The developments spotlight simultaneous change in the Blazers’ roster and leadership.
- The news arrives in the heart of the NBA’s late-offseason rumor cycle.
Trade Winds Swirl Around Portland’s Frontcourt
A fresh round of “Blazers Notes” from Sports Illustrated positions a Portland Trail Blazers center—whose contract totals $48 million—as a potential trade piece. The report offers no timeline for a deal but underscores that rival teams have taken notice of the sizable salary slot and the player’s stature in Portland’s depth chart.
Ownership Change Draws League Attention
While roster rumors simmer, the franchise’s ownership handoff is also under the microscope. Dallas Mavericks governor Mark Cuban addressed the Blazers’ forthcoming owner, acknowledging the significance of new leadership in a small-market club. Cuban’s comments, captured in the same Sports Illustrated update, reflect broad league curiosity about how fresh stewardship could reshape Portland’s direction.
A Franchise at a Crossroads
Taken together, the trade speculation and ownership transition paint a picture of an organization in flux. A major contract dangling on the trade market points to possible strategic shifts on the hardwood, while Cuban’s public remarks remind observers that boardroom decisions carry equal weight. With training camp on the horizon, Portland finds itself balancing immediate roster calculus against the long-term vision of an incoming owner—two storylines that will define the months ahead.