Portland Trail Blazers Terminate New Announcer’s Contract Over Resurfaced Social Media Posts

Tucson, AZ, October 2, 2026 —

The Portland Trail Blazers have terminated the contract of Braiden Bell, who was recently hired as a play-by-play announcer, mere hours after his appointment was announced. The decision was made following the emergence of social media posts dating back to Bell’s teenage years.

A spokesperson for the Trail Blazers stated that the posts violated the team’s established policies prohibiting racist, sexist, or otherwise harmful comments. The team cited these violations as the direct cause for rescinding Bell’s employment.

Braiden Bell was previously known for his work as the play-by-play announcer for the Phoenix Mercury. The circumstances leading to the termination underscore the scrutiny faced by public figures regarding their past online activity. The team’s swift action reflects a commitment to upholding their organizational standards and policies concerning employee conduct and public representation.

Specific details regarding the content of the social media posts from Bell’s teenage years, beyond the general categories of racist, sexist, or harmful comments, were not provided. Similarly, the exact timeline of when these posts were resurfaced and brought to the attention of the Trail Blazers organization was not disclosed.

The contractor’s name, Braiden Bell, and his former affiliation with the Phoenix Mercury are publicly known. The team’s policy against racist, sexist, or harmful comments is the stated reason for the termination. The outcome of any further internal review or potential impact on Bell’s future broadcasting career was not immediately available.

Story summarized from the original created by Alexis Cortez, Molly McBride on www.kold.com, see more information here.

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