PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Trail Blazers organization announced Monday it will not take over the Portland Fire, possibly spelling the end of the city's professional women's basketball team.

The Blazers will instead turn the Fire over to the WNBA, becoming the fourth NBA team to decline ownership of a WNBA franchise, according to a statement on the Fire's Web site.

"It was our fondest wish that the Fire be able to stay and be successful in Portland," said Erin Hubert, Blazers executive vice president. "This was a very difficult decision for us as an organization, but moving forward we are focused on our core business."

In October, the NBA's Board of Governors approved a restructuring plan allowing owners of NBA teams the first rights to buy WNBA teams.

Two teams, the Miami Sol and the Orlando Miracle, stopped operating when their NBA counterparts decided not to buy the teams, according to WNBA spokeswoman Traci Cook.

The Utah Starzz announced last week that their franchise would move to San Antonio.

While there is no formal deadline for the transfer of ownership, agreements must be in place by early next year when schedules for 2003 are worked out, Cook said.

The Fire began playing at the Rose Garden in 2000, under an agreement that had the Blazers operating the team for three years.

"Although we regret that the Fire will not be moving forward with us as the WNBA enters a new era, we are thankful to the Blazers organization and their fans for the support they have shown for women's professional basketball during their three years in the league," Val Ackerman, president of WNBA, said.

Attempts to find a local owner for the Fire failed, said John Maxwell, WNBA director of communications.

Players for the Portland Fire will likely be drafted by the 13 WNBA teams who secured ownership by their NBA counterparts. Another team may play in Hartford, Conn., in 2003 and would be the only WNBA team in a city without an NBA counterpart, said Maxwell.

Maxwell said the league eventually will return to 16 teams because more cities are interested in starting a women's franchise under the new management plan.