Can Yang Hansen ever become an offensive hub in the Portland Trail Blazers' system? That one question will determine whether Portland's unconventional draft pick was truly worthwhile.
Hansen's rookie season has been a massive disappointment, at least relative to the expectations entering the year. Part of those lofty expectations stemmed from the flashes of star potential he showcased throughout Summer League. The NBA world immediately saw what the Blazers' front office liked about Hansen, which ultimately led to the most unconventional selection of the entire draft.
Hansen's hype was justified as it was clear he possessed an incredibly high ceiling. He was even drawing comparisons to Nikola Jokic in terms of his ability to be utilized as an offensive hub with his rare combination of size and court vision that few centers possess.
Unfortunately, none of this has translated to meaningful regular-season basketball games for Hansen and the Blazers. Part of that has to do with the level of competition, as he still needs time to adjust to the speed of the NBA coming over from the CBA.
Blazers insider "bullish" on Yang Hansen's long-term outlook
But despite his early struggles, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report recently said he "remains very bullish" (subscription required) on Hansen's long-term future.
Highkin points out that Hansen hasn't been able to play to the strengths we've seen in the Summer League and, most recently, the G League, because that's not the role the Blazers have him in right now. He makes the case that it's as much a factor as anything else.
"In the G League, he gets to play a lot more like he did at Summer League, with the offense being run through him at the top of the key, and he looks comfortable directing traffic at both ends of the floor. That's the way the Blazers envision using him ultimately, but their roster isn't set up for him to play that kind of role right now, which is as much of a factor in his NBA struggles as the physicality and language barrier."
Highkin's optimism is understandable given Hansen's flashes, but it also relies on a best-case scenario that may never materialize, presenting a major risk in Portland's draft strategy.
Blazers' roster creates major questions about Hansen's fit
Hansen's offensive role could ultimately determine his career trajectory and potentially whether the Blazers drafted the steal or the bust of the 2025 NBA Draft. There's certainly a scenario in which his career falls in between those two extremes, as Hansen could still carve out a long NBA career regardless. He's already proven to be a smart player, which will help him figure things out in the coming years. But to reach his tantalizing ceiling, Hansen will eventually have to be used as an offensive hub.
That's where I'm less bullish on his long-term outlook. The Blazers aren't going to reshape their roster for a rookie averaging 2.4 points a game. They also have a good thing going with Deni Avdija's star breakout and don't need to make that drastic a change in how they play. He's proven most effective with the ball in his hands as a point forward, leaving questions about how Hansen will ever fit into that system or whether the draft gamble will prove more risk than reward.
Personally, I think the lack of size and physicality in the G League has been the most significant difference. Watching the G League games, Hansen towers over opponents and gets away with things he could in the CBA but can't in the NBA.
Still, this will be the biggest question mark for Hansen going forward. Portland clearly still has big plans for their first-round pick -- they wouldn't have made such an unconventional selection if that wasn't the case, and they'll do everything they can to prove it was the right call.
Hansen's ceiling remains tantalizing despite the slow start to his NBA career. But right now, that ceiling is nothing more than theoretical. He currently looks lost on both ends of the court, and the path to becoming an offensive hub seems like the path to Mordor.