Portland’s playoff hopes feel like they’re falling fast, especially after the latest injuries to Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe. If the Trail Blazers coast (or sink) for the rest of the season, Yang Hansen will likely get something he desperately needs: a chance to turn his rookie season around.
The stakes will be high for him, though, because how he performs with more playing time will have major implications for his future.
Yang Hansen is about to get an opportunity that he has to take advantage of
It’s no secret that Hansen isn’t having the freshman campaign fans hoped he would. He seldom plays outside of garbage time, and the numbers he’s posting in his 7.5 minutes per game are far from encouraging. Averages of just 2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds on 29.5% from the field and 13.2% from three don’t exactly scream “star in the making.”
Picking the young center 16th overall was a gamble for the Blazers, and so far, it’s not looking like a smart one.
But the glass-half-full look at this situation (other than “he’s a 20-year-old rookie, give him time”) is the fact that Hansen rarely sees the floor. How is he supposed to not only find his footing in the NBA but also grow and eventually excel if he’s almost never in the rotation?
The odds are high that Hansen is better than he’s proven to be through 35 games. He just needs a real chance to prove it, and he could be getting it soon. The waning months of the NBA season always mean more opportunity for bench guys around the league, unless they’re on a team in a tight standings battle.
The Blazers feel pretty locked in standings-wise, probably destined to finish as the 10th seed and lose in the first play-in game. Therefore, Tiago Splitter should feel more comfortable experimenting with lineups in March, using the time to evaluate his young talent. He’s already doing so with Kris Murray, and Hansen should be next in line.
If Hansen does start getting more ticks, the pressure will be on for him to show some promise. While it’s true the main reason he’s been disappointing is simply that he hasn’t played much, he’s also a very raw prospect. Anybody’s guess of what his current NBA-level skill is is as good as the next guy’s. Passing, maybe?
Hansen was never supposed to be a safe, high-floor player. Portland swung for the fences, drafting him, hoping he would turn into a home run. Right now, though, he’s still sitting in the dugout. Hansen may finally step up to the plate this March. Here’s hoping he knocks it out of the park.
If he doesn’t… hey, at least Donovan Clingan is awesome.