Blazers Fined $100K Over Illegal Pre-Draft Contact with Yang Hansen

The NBA fined the Portland Trail Blazers $100,000 and suspended two assistant GMs for two weeks without pay due to illegal pre-draft contact with Chinese center Yang Hansen in 2023. The league determined the team violated rules regarding players ineligible for the draft at the time. Portland, who drafted Hansen 16th overall last June, self-reported the violation. GM Joe Cronin noted the team had been scouting Hansen for nearly two years prior to the draft.