Trail Blazers Fired Broadcaster Braiden Bell

The team terminated the play-by-play broadcaster on his first day following the discovery of past social media posts.

Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Basketball

Trail Blazers Fired Broadcaster Braiden Bell

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The Portland Trail Blazers fired 29-year-old broadcaster Braiden Bell on the same day he was hired. The termination followed the discovery of offensive social media posts made by Bell when he was a teenager.

Why it matters

The organization took swift action after determining that the content, which included racist and sexist comments, violated strict team and league policies regarding public conduct.

Broadcaster Braiden Bell was 15 years old when he posted the offensive content in 2012 and 2013. There is no evidence of similar posts occurring after the 2013 period.

The players

Braiden Bell

He is a 29-year-old sports broadcaster who was briefly hired by the Portland Trail Blazers.

Portland Trail Blazers

This is a professional basketball team based in Portland that competes in the NBA.

Devon Haskins

He is a journalist for KGW who discovered and reported the social media posts.

The details

KGW journalist Devon Haskins brought the old social media activity to light, prompting a review by the franchise. Upon confirmation that the comments violated team and league standards, the Blazers immediately ended their professional relationship with Bell.

Braiden Bell authored the offensive social media content between 2012 and 2013.
The Portland Trail Blazers fired Braiden Bell on October 1, 2026.

Season Trajectory

This immediate staffing change marks a departure from typical front-office transitions, emphasizing the league's focus on vetting procedures. It highlights how the organization prioritizes its public image and corporate conduct standards at the start of the season.

The organization must now quickly secure a replacement broadcaster to handle play-by-play duties for upcoming games. This abrupt change impacts the team's media operations as they head into the new season.

The takeaway

This event serves as a reminder that professional organizations now consistently monitor the digital footprints of their hires, regardless of how long ago the content was posted. Job candidates should be aware that adolescent social media history can have immediate impacts on modern career opportunities.