Trail Blazers Fined, Suspended for NBA Draft Mismanagement

On Wednesday evening, ESPN’s Shams Charania announced that the Portland Trail Blazers have been fine for illegal contact with forward Yang Hansen two years ago, which was prior to the 2025 NBA Draft.

The Portland Trail Blazers have been fined $100,000 for illegal contact with Yang Hansen two years ago, prior to the 2025 NBA draft -- and assistant general managers Mike Schmitz and Sergi Oliva have been suspended for a period of time, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 1, 2026

The team has been fined $100,000, and assistant general managers in Mike Schmitz and Sergi Oliva have been suspended following a self-report.

The Trail Blazers shockingly grabbed Hansen at No. 16 in the 2025 NBA Draft, jumping up several spots to ensure they could grab him. He has been China’s top prospect for some time, hailing from the CBA where he averaged 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.6 blocks per game in the 2024-25 season for Qingdao.

He stands at 7-foot-1 and has a unique skillset for a big, able to score on the interior or perimeter, function as a hub passer and even protect the rim in moderation. His range wasn’t thought of to be in the first round, much less the middle, though Portland made sure to lock him in.

Per a release from the NBA, Schmitz and Oliva will be suspended for two weeks. They reportedly scouted Hansen in China in December 2023. Teams are unable to make contact with players prior to a declaration for their respective draft, making any contact before that illegal.

The Trail Blazers issued a statement to Charania Wednesday: "When this was brought to our attention the Portland Trail Blazers self reported to the NBA. The team cooperated fully with the investigation and accept the league's determination."

Hansen has appeared in 41 games for Portland so far, averaging 2.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 0.2 blocks across just 7.2 minutes per game. He’s played in 14 G League games with the Rip City Remix, averaging 17.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 blocks per game.

Hansen hasn’t yet broken through the Trail Blazers primary rotation, but given the level of interest the team had in him, he still projects to be a big part of the team moving forward. At still-20, he has plenty of time to get his NBA legs under him in the coming years.

The infraction is ultimately a small one in the grand scheme of the draft, with no real bearing on any future moves for Portland.

The Trail Blazers could pick in the lottery this season should they lose in the Western Conference's Play-In Tournament, though if they do make the postseason, their selection is set to convey to Chicago.