Unsurprised. That's the emotion Blazers fans should be feeling about Yang Hansen's role (or lack thereof) for the Blazers so far this season. Disappointment, frustration, and confusion are all understandable, especially as Cedric Coward, who was picked with the selection Portland traded away, looks like a future star.
But Hansen not being part of the rotation this early on shouldn't raise any alarm bells yet. He was always going to be a project, and there's no reason to throw him to the wolves when the Blazers have a passable center rotation of Donovan Clingan and (as of recently) Duop Reath, and (on occasion) Robert Williams III.
Fan bases love getting behind a rookie — especially one as personable and unique as Yang — so to see offseason hype immediately dissipate when the season starts is a little disheartening. It's always important to remember, though, that rookies are by-and-large bad.
Don't believe me? Look at the other players selected in the backhalf of the first round like Yang was. Carter Bryant, pick No. 14, is barely scratching the floor for the Spurs. Joan Beringer, the center picked one spot after Yang, has played 29 total minutes. Noa Essengue (pick No. 12), Nolan Traore (No. 19) and Kasparas Jakučionis (No. 20)? All non-factors!
This isn't because all of these players are busts — it's because acclimation to the NBA game is hard for pretty much everyone. Yang isn't behind schedule, he's in a completely normal spot for a frontcourt project, which is exactly what he currently is.
Yang Hansen was never going to be an immediate contributor
Hence, why the feeling of confusion, while understandable, might be misplaced. Hansen is 20 years old, has a long way to go before he can defend well enough to stay on the court, and the only professional experience he had before the NBA was two seasons in the Chinese Basketball Association.
That's not exactly the resume of someone who should be expected to set the NBA world on fire immediately. Now, if your confusion comes from wondering why the Blazers passed on Coward, who would fill a clear need on the team, for Hansen, a less surefire prospect who immediately felt redundant behind Clingan... well, that confusion is valid. But pointing at Yang's lack of production as vindication of it being the "wrong" pick, this early, isn't fair quite yet.
The vision with Hansen is clear; he's a 7-footer with gazelle-like footwork, a nice touch, and thrilling passing instincts. Those traits won't disappear if he rides the pine for most of his rookie season, and it's not time to panic at all about a rookie — even if it would be much more fun to see him play than it is to watch him warm the bench.