The Portland Trail Blazers spent consecutive first-round picks at the center position. They also entered the season with four centers. While one would assume this would be a roster strength, Portland remains vulnerable in the frontcourt. Despite their past investments, the Blazers need to continue addressing the issue this upcoming offseason.
Donovan Clingan's second-year breakout has been one of the best storylines of the season for Portland. But behind him, it gets questionable fast.
Robert Williams III is currently playing like one of the best backup bigs in the league. That may not be in Portland's best long-term interest, as he's set to become a free agent this summer. Bill Simmons even recently suggested that Williams could receive a three-year, $50 million contract from a playoff team this summer.
The better Time Lord plays this season, the more likely it is he lands elsewhere. And even if he does stay in PDX, there's unfortunately no guarantee his health will hold up. Williams is at 45 games played this season, which is the third-highest in his entire career. Betting on him to both remain in Portland and stay healthy is a longshot.
The Blazers need to find frontcourt insurance this summer
Ideally, that's where Yang Hansen would come in. Williams' final season in Portland would serve as a bridge, giving their rookie more time to adjust to the NBA. But given how lost Hansen has looked on both ends of the court this season, it doesn't look like he's one year away from making a meaningful impact.
Hansen is just 20 years old, meaning we must be incredibly patient with his development before declaring whether this pick was truly worthwhile. In the meantime, the Blazers have been understandably hesitant to throw him into the fire, and that likely won't change next season, barring drastic offseason development.
Portland also moved on from stretch five Duop Reath at the trade deadline, who was already out for the season after undergoing surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot. They have no choice but to hope Williams stays healthy enough for their end-of-season stretch. But to rely on him and Hansen as the only options for frontcourt depth is far too risky as a long-term solution.
Spending two valuable first-round picks at the center spot and still not feeling like you have the problem solved is the downside that comes with the uncertainty of the high-risk, high-reward Hansen draft gamble. The good news is they should have plenty of options this offseason.
Portland could draft a power forward who's capable of sliding up to the five for stretches, with a few intriguing prospects projected to be available in the late-lottery range who fit the mold. Washington's Hannes Steinbach would be a great fit as a 6-foot-11 forward.
Alternatively, the Blazers could address their backcourt uncertainty in the draft. In that case, they could find a Williams replacement -- a veteran who can help them in the short term, buying more time to develop and evaluate Hansen.
The Blazers clearly believe in Hansen's long-term outlook, given the unconventional draft selection. But this is a team with reasonable playoff aspirations next season. They need to do something to ensure their perceived frontcourt strength doesn't get exposed in that quest.