The Aporia · Trail Blazers hire temporary TV voice after Braiden Bell tweet controversy

Trail Blazers hire temporary TV voice after Braiden Bell tweet controversy

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Lemoncelli, J. (2026, October 14). Trail Blazers hire temporary TV voice after Braiden Bell tweet controversy. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/10/14/sports/trail-blazers-hire-travis-demers-as-temporary-tv-voice-after-braiden-bell-controversy/

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Quick Summary

The Portland Trail Blazers have temporarily replaced their recently fired play-by-play announcer Braiden Bell with radio voice Travis Demers due to Bell’s controversial past tweets. Demers, who impressed during a preseason game, will work alongside color analyst Lamar Hurd and courtside reporter Brooke Olzendam on a game-by-game basis while the team evaluates its broadcast options. The article highlights the recent turnover in the Blazers’ broadcasting team, including the departure of long-time announcer Kevin Calabro over contract disputes.

Written by AI on 2026-10-15, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

As of October 14, 2026, the Portland Trail Blazers hired Travis Demers as their temporary TV play-by-play voice after firing Braiden Bell for past misogynistic and racist tweets. Bell was hired and fired on the same day due to resurfaced posts from his teenage years that included derogatory remarks about women and Asians. Demers, who has been the team’s radio play-by-play announcer for seven seasons, will call games alongside color analyst Lamar Hurd and courtside reporter Brooke Olzendam on a game-by-game basis. The decision came after Bell beat out 10 other candidates, including veteran Kyle Draper, to secure the position initially. The Blazers are currently assessing their television broadcast options moving forward.

Written for “Trail Blazers Hire Temporary TV Voice” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

58%

7 of 12 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Sports

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Jenna Lemoncelli

71 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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🔮 Travis Demers, the Blazers’ radio play-by-play voice for the last seven seasons, will take over television duties on a trial basis, according to OregonLive, which citied league and team sources.

2026-10-14 · speculative framing · Trail Blazers hire temporary TV voice after Braiden Bell tweet controversy

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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 71 articles by Jenna Lemoncelli →

Narrative

Claims (12 extracted, 7 hedged)

The Portland Trail Blazers have reportedly resolved their television broadcast debacle — for now — after firing play-by-play voice Braiden Bell for past tweets that included misogynistic and racist remarks about women and Asians. uncertain

that → resolve → women

Travis Demers, the Blazers’ radio play-by-play voice for the last seven seasons, will take over television duties on a trial basis, according to OregonLive, which citied league and team sources. uncertain

which → take → sources

Demers will call games on a game-by-game basis alongside feature color analyst Lamar Hurd and courtside reporter Brooke Olzendam. asserted

Demers → call → Hurd

Demers, who previously filled in on the TV broadcast, reportedly impressed decision-makers when he called Portland’s preseason opener against the Golden State Warriors last week. uncertain

he → fill → Warriors

The Blazers reportedly are keeping their options open as they assess their television broadcast. uncertain

they → keep → broadcast

The shakeup comes after 29-year-old Bell was hired and fired in the same day due to resurfaced posts made as a teenager. asserted

Bell → come → teenager

Bell reportedly beat out 10 different candidates, such as veteran play-by-play voice Kyle Draper, for the job, in part because the team felt he was a “rising star.” uncertain

he → beat → part

The Blazers reportedly considered replacing Bell with Draper, and instead decided to go with Demers on a trial basis. uncertain

Blazers → consider → basis

Demers has called games for the Hillsboro Hops and University of Portland as well as hosting radio programs for SiriusXM College Sports Nation and NBC Sports Northwest. asserted

Demers → call → Nation

The Blazers also lost legendary television play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Calabro this offseason after 10 years. asserted

Blazers → lose → years

Calabro wanted to return to Portland in a part-time role and decided to leave in July after receiving what he deemed a “subprime” contract offer from the Blazers and new owner Tom Dundon, The Oregonian previously reported. asserted

Oregonian → want → Blazers

Calabro reportedly was hired by the Minnesota Timberwolves in a limited role in September. uncertain

Calabro → hire → September

Trail Blazers hire temporary TV voice after Braiden Bell tweet controversy

Quick Summary

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Claims (12 extracted, 7 hedged)