It’s been a big week for [Portland Trail Blazers](https://www.blazersedge.com) fans. Just 24 hours after disappointingly receiving the 11th pick in the NBA Draft, it was announced the franchise was up for sale.
Washington Post reporter and former Blazer’s Edge royalty Ben Golliver called into the Danny and Dusty show on 1080 The Fan to discuss the current state of the team.
Golliver touched on the lottery, highlighting his thoughts from inside the room as the draft order was being decided.
> “I felt so bad for the Blazers fans, another year where it comes down to the final ping pong ball. One number off, they could have had Cooper Flagg, I think he would have had a chance to really emerge as a franchise player in Portland and I think the market would have loved him.”
He spoke about the pending sale and the unlikely chance the franchise was relocated.
> “I think it’s a day long coming. I think I’ve been pretty critical of Jody Allen over the years. I think when you’re the owner you have a real obligation to communicate with the media, communicate with the fanbase, explain your vision, be a public face of that organization ... she’s just been MIA (missing in action).”
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> “It’s a positive, welcome development because the current regime was stuck in its ways and its ways were not working.”
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> “It has been a while since we’ve seen a relocation and so I think that should comfort some people. I think at the same time you never take a great fanbase for granted. Obviously, Blazers fans have been through it all.”
Golliver advised how Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin should approach the next few months.
> “If I was in Joe Cronin’s position, what I want to do in the middle of that transition is really prioritize the young players. Not only do I want to make sure they get a lot of minutes, but I want to make sure I get those guys under longer-term contracts, the guys who I truly feel a part of the core. Because you have to do this now as like a two, three or four-year window, you’re not necessarily a one year, year-to-year mentality of how can we get into the playoffs?”
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> “If that means you have to trade some of the higher priced veterans or you just move on from some of those guys, that’s how I would handle things.”
Finally, he spoke on what he believed were the ideal traits for the owner of an NBA franchise.
> “To me, the most important thing is love for the game.”
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> “I think love for the game translates to financial support, not only when you’re talking about your players, but you’re looking at your medical staff, your coaching staff. Running a first-class operation that players want to be a part of.”
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> “Another top characteristic would be self-awareness. You want owners who know what they know and also know what they don’t know. And are willing to trust their executives to make the kinds of industry decisions that maybe they’re not familiar with. You want to strike a good balance there.”
You can watch the full interview [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZbXPoUqcIU).