Portland Trail Blazers Face NBA Penalties

The NBA has penalized the Portland Trail Blazers for violating league rules concerning communication with players not yet eligible for the draft. The investigation centered around scouting Chinese center Yang Hansen in December 2023.

Details of the Violation

The Trail Blazers were found to have made illegal contact with Hansen, who was 18 years old at the time, before he was eligible for the NBA draft. Portland later selected Hansen with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft via a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Penalties Assessed

As a result of the violation, the NBA has fined the Trail Blazers $100,000. Assistant general managers Sergi Oliva and Mike Schmitz will each serve a two-week suspension without pay. The league stated the Trail Blazers self-reported the issue once it came to their attention.

Yang Hansen's Current Status

Hansen, a 7-foot center originally from China, played for the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association, earning two All-Star selections. Now 20 years old, Hansen is averaging 2.3 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7.2 minutes per game across 41 appearances for Portland this season.

Trail Blazers Play-In Tournament Bound

Despite the penalty, the Trail Blazers currently hold a 39-38 record and are ninth in the Western Conference. They are only half a game behind the Los Angeles Clippers for eighth place and have secured a spot in the league’s Play-In Tournament after a 134-99 win against the Brooklyn Nets.