The NBA on Wednesday fined the Portland Trail Blazers $100,000 for illegal contact the team made with Yang Hansen in December 2023 — two years before the 7-footer from China was drafted.
The league also suspended assistant general managers Mike Schmitz and Sergi Oliva two weeks without pay, saying both the Trail Blazers and the two team officials violated “league rules governing contact with draft-ineligible players” as it related to Hansen.
“When this was brought to our attention the Portland Trail Blazers self-reported to the NBA,” the team said in a statement. “The team cooperated fully with the investigation and accept the league’s determination.”
The Trail Blazers acquired the rights to Hansen as part of a 2025 draft-night trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, who had selected him with the No. 16 pick.
Before being selected, Hansen played two seasons with the Qingdao Eagles of China’s top professional league.
He has appeared in 41 games as a rookie this season for Portland, averaging 2.3 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7.2 minutes.
Information from ESPN’s Shams Charania was used in this report.
