Blazers turn to Travis Demers for TV job after Braiden Bell firing

The Trail Blazers have found someone to call their games. Whether they’ve found a permanent answer is another question.

Travis Demers will take over television play-by-play duties on a trial basis to begin the season, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian/OregonLive. He’ll work alongside analyst Lamar Hurd and courtside reporter Brooke Olzendam.

Demers has spent the past seven seasons calling Portland games on radio and has occasionally filled in on television. His work during last week’s preseason opener against Golden State impressed team decision-makers, per Freeman.

That gives the Blazers a familiar voice after an offseason in which the broadcast itself became a bigger story than anyone probably wanted.

The arrangement will be evaluated on a game-by-game basis. Demers could hold the job all season, though Portland may bring in another announcer for four or five games to evaluate other options and give him a break. So Demers gets the opportunity. The Blazers keep some flexibility.

The opening followed Kevin Calabro’s departure in July. Calabro wanted to return in a reduced role but described Portland’s contract offer as “subprime.” He has since joined the Timberwolves.

Portland then hired Braiden Bell after interviewing 10 candidates, only to fire him roughly eight hours later when offensive social media posts he wrote as a teenager surfaced. Those posts included racist and misogynistic comments.

The team’s latest move addresses who will be behind the microphone. It doesn’t establish that the dispute with Bell is resolved.

As we previously reported, Bell’s attorney, Arnie Herz, has pushed for reinstatement and argued that the firing could carry significant financial consequences for Portland.

“Either way this is costing them a boatload of money,” Herz told Craig Carton of OutKick.

Herz argued that losing the job could damage Bell’s career and urged the Blazers to bring him back. Those were his arguments about potential damages, rather than an established finding that Portland owes a particular amount. The Blazers have stood by their decision, offering no indication that reinstatement is coming.

Demers now has a chance to make the basketball broadcast the story again. He already knows the team, the audience and the job.

After everything that went into filling this opening, a familiar voice calling the next game sounds like a welcome development for Portland.