Braiden Bell Seeks a Second Chance with the Trail Blazers

Braiden Bell is asking for another opportunity. The 29-year-old announcer has reached out to the Portland Trail Blazers, hoping to reclaim his role as the voice of the team for the upcoming 2026-27 season.

Just last week, the Blazers announced Bell’s hiring, marking a significant step in his career progression. He had previously climbed the ranks from various college sports roles to announcing for the WNBA’s Mercury and the Suns’ G League team. Unfortunately, his tenure was short-lived; the very same day, the team terminated his contract after controversial posts from his past emerged.

On Tuesday, the Blazers reaffirmed their original decision, stating, “We stand by our statement issued last week and have no further comment at this time. We wish Mr. Bell the best,” as communicated to The Athletic.

The posts in question date back to 2012 and 2013, when Bell was around 15 years old. They include remarks about “Asian people” and derogatory terms directed at women.

One post from December 2012 read, “I’m not racist at all.. But not gonna lie.. Asian people piss me off! Hahaha #Honest.” Another from February 2013 stated, “We got a slut alert on aisle 10.”

Bell, through his lawyer Arnie Herz, has requested a second chance. The statement reflected on the implications of past behavior, asking if “the worst words a fifteen-year-old ever wrote” should dictate a person’s future with the Trail Blazers.

Herz emphasized that Bell isn’t seeking to excuse his past actions. “He has owned it, without excuses,” Herz mentioned, “What he is asking is whether a boy’s words from fourteen years ago should outweigh everything the man has done since.” His argument rests on the idea that if such standards were strictly applied, very few individuals would be able to meet them in any organization.

A journalist from KGW in Portland initially highlighted the troubling posts and prompted the team for a response prior to Bell’s firing.

The Blazers communicated their zero tolerance policy for any racist, sexist, or harmful comments, stating that Bell’s social media history violated the team and league’s policies, as well as their values. They acknowledged their failure in the hiring process, apologizing to fans and asserting their commitment to ensuring that their upcoming announcer upholds the required standards.

Interestingly, the KGW report pointed out that no inappropriate posts from Bell’s adult years were discovered.

Bell was slated to replace longstanding announcer Kevin Calabro, who previously expressed disappointment at the contract offered for his continuation with the team.