Ja Morant has given the Portland Trail Blazers another high flyer to play alongside Shaedon Sharpe (when healthy). He's also another player who can put pressure at the rim like Deni Avdija. Floor spacing is the one concern with this offensive ceiling, but what if that could be elevated by a playmaking five?
That's what the Blazers envisioned Yang Hansen to be, or at least that best-case scenario as an offensive hub.
Unfortunately, very few things from Hansen's rookie season suggest that potential will be tapped into anytime soon. This almost certainly remains a multi-year project for the Blazers, who have done a good job of accounting for that this offseason for that by bringing in added depth with frontcourt pieces like Micah Potter, Jeremy Sochan, and Branden Carlson.
But the Blazers know that these end-of-bench players don't possess that same star potential as Hansen, making him a unique asset to keep on the end of the bench despite his lack of immediate production.
There's a chance this Hansen draft gamble never works out, a possibility Portland must acknowledge considering how poorly his rookie season went. Even in that scenario, however, it's not like this draft gamble drastically set back their rebuild.
They still have their center of the future in Donovan Clingan anchoring the middle, as well as one of the best backups in Robert Williams III, who signed a three-year, $44 million deal this offseason to remain in Portland.
But if that nonzero chance of Hansen panning out is the timeline we're actually on, I don't think it's being talked about enough just how well equipped Portland's roster is to complement his game.
Yang Hansen still has upside as an offensive hub for Portland
The crowded backcourt and versatility of their wings actually give the Blazers a good roster balance to play to Hansen's strengths as that potential offensive hub. Damian Lillard's shooting can space the floor, and how many times have we already seen Hansen use his court vision and ability to anticipate plays to find players on backdoor cuts? That's only going to be more of a weapon with Morant in the mix, especially towards the end of the season once the Blazers get Sharpe back from injury.
It's a uniquely structured roster, but one that could be unlocked with an unselfish big who's an elite passer like Hansen to run the offense through at the top of the key. That's an effective way to get everyone involved, managing egos as far as touches and offensive hierarchy as well.
The glaring problem currently preventing this from becoming reality is that Hansen is nowhere near that level of player. His strengths as that potential offensive hub aren't really utilized as a role player who rarely has the ball in his hands. That style of play gives him a wide range of extremes in this league.
Hopefully, it works out to both his and the Blazers' favor, as this would be a huge advantage to unlock the talent of this entire roster that nobody seems to be accounting for.
Likely outcome? No. But I also wouldn't count out Portland's vision behind the Hansen pick just yet.
With the added shooting of Lillard and the paint presence of Morant, this backcourt is ready for that playmaking big to unlock it all.
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