Whelllllp, Portland's WNBA team definitely made headlines this week… and not all of them were pretty.
But before you start panicking about organizational chaos or wondering if our 2026 season is doomed, take a breath. Sometimes the best moves look messy in the moment, and what happened this week might actually be exactly what this franchise needed.
We've got leadership changes, brand reveals, and a hire that could completely change the trajectory of Portland's WNBA future. Some of it's concerning, some of it's exciting, and all of it matters if you're planning to rep the home team next year.
Here are the three biggest updates every Portland basketball fan needs to know about this week.
1. Inky Son is Out, Clare Hamill is In
Let's start with what we know: Inky Son, Portland's first team president hired just three months ago in April, is out.
The official statement from RAJ Sports says Son "decided to leave the organization," but multiple reports suggest she was fired after what sources described as "significant growing pains" and a "rocky rollout."
Not exactly what we want to see from an expansion franchise, less than 11 months before tipoff.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. There’s some good news here, too, and it comes in the form of the president coming in to replace Son.
Enter Clare Hamill, who's stepping in as interim president effective immediately. When we say this woman has credentials, we mean she has credentials. Here are some of the highlights:
- 43-year Nike veteran who just retired in January as VP of Innovation Integration
- Former VP and GM of Nike's Women's Business
- Nike Founder's Award winner in 2021 (literally the company's highest employee honor)
- Executive sponsor for the Women in Nike program that recruited over 70 retired professional women athletes to the company
- Founding board chairman of Children's Cancer Association
Hamill also has deep Portland roots and a killer local network. A former Nike colleague told The Oregonian that Hamill "has the Rolodex,” and that "if she calls, everybody is going to pick up." When we’re still struggling to get a GM on the books, that sounds like a plus to me.
We're not going to pretend this leadership change, three months into the process, is normal expansion behavior. It's not. And it raises legitimate questions about what went wrong with Son's tenure and whether RAJ Sports has a clear vision for building this franchise.
But sometimes organizations need to make tough decisions to get the right person in place. And if you have to make a change, bringing in someone with Hamill's track record is a great way to do it.
The interim title suggests there might be more changes coming, but for now, Portland just went from having one team president with solid credentials to having another one with equally solid credentials — hardly the “sky is falling” angle I’ve seen some outlets take in the wake of this news.
2. Portland's Championship Timeline
We’re not going to sugarcoat where things stand: Portland is behind schedule. We keep seeing comparisons to Toronto’s setup. The side-by-side is valid, and it doesn’t paint the prettiest picture for Portland.
The Tempo has filled its front office with over 20 employees and hired GM Monica Wright, assistant GM Eli Horowitz, and president Teresa Resch. They’re actively scouting for the expansion draft, and overall, the team looks like a well-oiled machine six months out from the most important draft in franchise history.
Meanwhile, Portland has no GM, no coach, and now no permanent president. Reports suggest multiple GM candidates have already turned down the position, which is never a good sign. In short, we're way behind where we need to be, and that's concerning for a franchise that's supposed to be taking the court in less than 11 months.
But don’t panic just yet!
The new interim president has connections and credibility. When someone with her reputation starts making calls about GM and coaching positions, people listen. Candidates who might have been hesitant to join an unknown expansion franchise are now looking at working for a Nike legend. There’s a chance that might just change the conversation.
Plus, let's not forget the 10,000 season ticket deposits! Portland fans clearly aren't losing faith in this new team just yet. This market is ready to support a winner, and ownership clearly understands they need to get the leadership piece right.
The leadership change is a setback, but it's far from the death blow that a lot of outlets are making it out to be. Sometimes you have to take a step back to take two steps forward, and bringing in Hamill could be exactly that kind of move.
3. Team Name Reveal is Coming July 15… And We Have Spoilers
Mark your calendars for July 15, because Portland's WNBA team is FINALLY ready to announce the new name and branding. But we’ve got a bit of a scoop, courtesy of a trademark filing sniffed out by KGW.
The WNBA league office filed trademarks for "Portland Fire" and associated logos, which pretty much confirms what many of us have been hoping for: the return of the beloved franchise name from Portland's original WNBA team that played from 2000 to 2002.
If the rumors are true, this is exactly the kind of nostalgia play that makes sense for Portland. The Fire has history, it honors the city's basketball legacy, and it gives longtime fans something to rally around. It shows that ownership actually understands that Portland wants something that connects to our city’s roots… not some generic expansion team rebrand.
The timing works out pretty well, too. With Clare Hamill now leading the charge, the July 15 announcement can focus on the excitement of the brand reveal instead of answering questions about organizational stability.
Hopefully, the announcement will receive the fanfare it deserves and will not be overshadowed by any lingering chaos from this week's changes. Portland deserves a moment of celebration, and bringing back the Fire name should be exactly that.
Portland WNBA Updates: What’s Next?
This week has been a WEEK. It’s also been a reminder that building an expansion franchise isn't always smooth sailing. Leadership changes three months in aren't ideal, but sometimes organizations need to pivot quickly to get the right people in place.
Clare Hamill brings serious credentials and a deep understanding of both Portland and women's sports. Hopefully, she can help us get the right GM in place and set our team up for a killer debut season. With the Fire name reveal coming July 15 and the expansion draft just months away, Portland needs to move fast.
The timeline is tight, but the pieces are starting to come together.
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