WNBA expansion franchise owners sue to block Blazers' minority stakeholders' role in Portland Trail Blazers sale

The Portland Trail Blazers could be the next NBA team to change hands, following the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers earlier this year. However, the sale is currently on hold as the owners of Portland’s WNBA expansion team, the Fire, have filed a lawsuit disputing the deal.

A report from Front Office Sports on Tuesday revealed that the Trail Blazers’ sale is now in jeopardy after RAJ Sports sued the Cherng Family Trust on Monday. The lawsuit reportedly aims to block the trust’s stake in the new Trail Blazers' ownership group led by Tom Dundon.

Although the details of this dispute remain unclear, it is believed that RAJ Sports has filed for a temporary restraining order against the Cherng Family Trust. This prevents the family from entering into any agreement involving the Blazers, including the deal that has already been announced.

RAJ, the minority owners of the Sacramento Kings, filed the motion after the $4 billion Portland franchise takeover was announced on September 12, revealing the Cherng Family as investors. According to Front Office Sports, the lawsuit seeks to stop Cherng LLC from committing “further breaches” of a confidentiality agreement dated July.

Despite the lawsuit, Dundon's takeover of the Trail Blazers from Paul Allen is expected to move ahead as the court documents do not challenge Dundon or the NBA. With RAJ Sports already holding an impressive portfolio of sports teams, it wouldn't come as a surprise if the lawsuit pertained to the family's minority ownership in the Trailblazers.

RAJ was reportedly among the interested parties looking to buy the team in May but ultimately never pursued the idea.

WNBA expansion team owner offers "proud" statement after readopting former name

The WNBA is set to welcome two new teams in 2026: the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire, as part of the league's expansion plans. The Fire was announced as the league's 15th team in July, reviving the name of the last Portland team in the WNBA, which operated from 2000 to 2002.

Team owner Lisa Bhathal Merage of RAJ Sports offered a "proud" statement in July after announcing the team's logo and name.

"Portland has long stood at the forefront of women's sports, and with nearly 11,000 season ticket deposits to date," Merage said. "We're proud to reignite the Portland Fire and can't wait to welcome new and longtime fans to the Moda Center in 2026."

Despite unveiling their name, logos, and venue, the Fire has yet to build its roster. The WNBA is set to announce the dates for the expansion draft.

About the author

Arian Kashyap is a basketball journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience at Essentially Sports and Spice Bite and a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Sciences.

Arian's favorite team is the Miami Heat and it’s mainly down to Dwyane Wade being his favorite player of all time. Arian loved how explosive Wade was as a player and he had all the attributes, whether that be shooting, defending or passing. Arian really liked how he won titles both with and without a dynasty behind him.

Arian has also worked with Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and was the manager for a Delhi-based women’s team called Garwhal Untied. Garwhal won the Delhi league and were runners-up during his tenure.

Arian has judged essay writing competitions for the Commonwealth Students Welfare Group of India in 2023 and was a part of the U-14 team for the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools academy that qualified for the AIFF Round in 2023.

When not working or watching sports, Arian likes riding his motorcycle and reading.

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Edited by Neha