Nothing ever gets deleted from the internet, they say. And the repercussions are almost always damaging. Just ask Braiden Bell, who was hired and fired on the same day by the Portland Trail Blazers, after the team found some of his old social media posts.
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He was scheduled to appear in Sunday’s Fan Fest scrimmage before starting work with the team the following week. He was also to team up with analyst Lamar Hurd and sideline reporter Brooke Olzendam, and had this stint worked out for him, he would have made history as the youngest play-by-play announcer. But none of that will take place anymore. The Blazers clarified why.
“The Portland Trail Blazers have zero tolerance for racist, sexist, or harmful comments,” the team announced. “Social media posts made by our recently announced play-by-play broadcaster are in clear violation of team and league policies, as well as our values and expectations. Therefore, we will not be moving forward with this broadcaster.
“The play-by-play role carries a long legacy of excellence, on the broadcast and in character, and we hold that standard without exception. We did not meet our own bar in this process, and for that, we apologize to Blazers fans and to Rip City. We believe strongly that everyone who is part of Rip City should feel welcome and safe, and we will make sure that our new broadcaster reflects these values. We will do better.”
He has not made a comment on his firing. Bell, 29, was brought in from the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury to replace veteran announcer Kevin Calabro. The latter had served as the television voice of the franchise for nine seasons. So, Bell had some big shoes to fill, though that is no longer the case.
Bell had been using the same account for over a decade, back when it was Twitter and right through his sportscasting career when it became X.com. The tweets were dug up by local Portland journalist Devon Haskins, who shared screengrabs in an article for KGW. Haskins made it a point to note that there were no offensive tweets on that account during Bell’s adult life after 2015.
While in the process of reporting the story Thursday afternoon, the KGW reporter reached out to the Blazers for comment. The team responded to Haskins several hours later, saying they had fired Bell.
The rapid hiring and dismissal took place during a broader period of restructuring across the organization following the team’s acquisition by owner Tom Dundon earlier this year.
As of now, it is not clear if the team will approach Kyle Draper, the very candidate Bell edged out in the hiring process. Whatever it is, they will need to make a decision before the 2026-27 season starts. That means the organization has less than three weeks.
Changes in the broadcasting booth
Since taking control, Dundon, who also owns the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, has instituted sweeping operational adjustments across administrative, coaching, and media departments that have been met with criticism.
The broadcasting booth has seen significant turnover, with longtime analyst Michael Holton, veteran anchor Neil Everett, host Jamie Hudson, and statistical analyst Tom Haberstroh among those affected by recent workforce reductions. On the radio side, play-by-play announcer Travis Demers also departed after seven seasons following the expiration of his contract.
While the franchise cited policy and character standards for Bell’s swift termination, media observers and fans have noted that the rapid turnover aligns with a tumultuous media period for the franchise. Embittered Blazers fans feel this is another sign of the organization falling apart after multiple layoffs and a buildup to a relocation of the team.
Previous reports from Forbes indicated the Trail Blazers had evaluated cost-efficiency measures, including potential TV/radio simulcasting and remote road coverage, tactics previously employed by Dundon’s Hurricanes.
The Trail Blazers now return to the broadcast market to search for a play-by-play replacement as the team prepares for its upcoming season schedule.