In Portland, Joe Freeman reported the Trail Blazers have "created a special ticket-refund policy" that includes three options. Fans with tickets to the nine remaining games at Moda Center can request a full refund, transfer the funds "to an account to be used on games that are rescheduled this season" or transfer the money "to an account to be used to pay for tickets next season." Trail Blazers President Chris McGowan said that 60-70% of ticket holders "have chosen option No. 3 and opted to transfer money to use on future tickets" (Portland OREGONIAN, 5/21).
MORE BULLS CHANGES: In Chicago, Joe Cowley cites sources as saying that longtime Bulls trainer Jeff Tanaka "was told by the organization that his contract would not be renewed." He joined the Bulls "as an assistant trainer in 2008 and became the head trainer in 2014." This is the "second major dismissal" since Exec VP/Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas took over last month, joining Gar Forman's dismissal as GM (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 5/21).
SONIC BOOM? Trail Blazers announcer Kevin Calabro called Sonics games before the team moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City in '08, and he predicts Seattle will have another NBA team "inside of the next five years." That comes even with the coronavirus serving as "such an X-factor" in the near future. Calabro refused to speculate whether it would be a new team, but said, "Obviously it will happen one of two ways: relocation or expansion" (“Talkin’ Seahawks,” NBCSPORTSNORTHWEST.com, 5/19).
