Trail Blazers Fire Announcer Over Insensitive Teenage Tweets

The Portland Trail Blazers terminated the employment of play-by-play announcer Braiden Bell shortly after announcing his appointment, following the discovery of offensive tweets he had posted during his teenage years in 2012 and 2013. Local reporter Devon Haskins from Portland NBC affiliate KGW unearthed the tweets, which revealed Bell's derogatory remarks about Asian people and body image.

Upon informing the organization about the insensitive statements, the Trail Blazers promptly terminated Bell's contract. The team emphasized their zero-tolerance policy towards racist, sexist, or harmful comments, stating that Bell's social media posts violated team and league policies as well as their own values and expectations.

Consequently, they decided not to proceed with his employment. Bell, who was 29 at the time of his termination, had previously worked for the Blazers' Rip City network, covering games for the Valley Suns in the G League and the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury. The Blazers' statement acknowledged that they had not met their own high standards in this matter and expressed regret for any disappointment felt by fans and the organization.

They vowed to improve and ensure that all individuals associated with the team feel welcome and safe. The Trail Blazers' regular season is set to commence on October 21 with a home game against the Suns.