The Portland Trail Blazers were fined $100,000 by the NBA, and assistant general managers Sergi Oliva and Mike Schmitz were suspended for two weeks without pay for impermissible contact with Yang Hansen in December 2023, nearly 18 months before he was eligible for the 2025 NBA Draft. The league found the team violated rules prohibiting teams from engaging with draft-ineligible players. The Blazers self-reported the issue and fully cooperated with the investigation, the team confirmed in a statement. Portland acquired Hansen, the 16th overall pick in 2025, on draft night by trading Cedric Coward and additional picks to the Memphis Grizzlies. Before joining the Blazers, Hansen played two seasons with the Qingdao Eagles in China's top professional league. At 7-foot-1 and 270 pounds, Hansen drew attention for his size and performances overseas, with Joe Cronin stating the team had been "scouting him deeply for almost two years." Cronin revealed that Oliva and Schmitz traveled to China in the fall of 2023 to evaluate Hansen in person. Despite early optimism, Hansen has struggled in his rookie season, averaging 2.3 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7.2 minutes per game across 41 appearances, shooting 31% from the field. The Blazers, currently 39-38, are the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference and have won seven of their last nine games.
When Joe Cronin says the Blazers had been scouting Yang Hansen for "almost two years," that includes a trip by two assistant GMs to China while he was still draft-ineligible — a move that clearly crossed the league's line. The suspensions and fine confirm the NBA's stance: no team gets to fast-track a prospect, no matter how promising. Portland's gamble on early access didn't pay off on the court, either — Hansen's underwhelming rookie numbers show that hype doesn't guarantee impact. This isn't about one player; it's about who gets to shape the future first.
