The Portland Trail Blazers made a bold move on draft night, opting for upside over certainty when they selected Yang Hansen instead of Derik Queen. Now, halfway through their rookie campaigns, that decision is starting to look like a swing that may have missed the mark.
Queen, taken by New Orleans, is already making his presence felt in the league. He’s currently sitting fourth on the Kia Rookie Ladder, averaging a steady 12.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game.
Those aren’t just empty numbers-they reflect a player who’s contributing across the board and showing he belongs in an NBA rotation. His feel for the game, particularly as a passer and decision-maker, has translated smoothly from Maryland to the pros.
Meanwhile in Portland, Hansen has struggled to find his footing. Tiago Splitter and the Blazers coaching staff have had a tough time getting him meaningful minutes, and it’s clear he’s still adjusting to the NBA’s pace and physicality after coming over from the CBA. Right now, he looks more like a long-term project than a contributor, and a stint in the G League might be the best route for him to develop the reps and rhythm he needs.
What makes this situation more frustrating for Blazers fans is that Queen was right there for the taking. Portland held the No. 11 pick-well within the projected range for Queen-while Hansen was widely viewed as a second-round prospect. The early returns are highlighting why there was such a gap between the two on draft boards.
It’s not that Hansen doesn’t have intriguing tools. Like Queen, he’s a high-IQ passer with a feel for facilitating offense from the frontcourt. But where Queen has already shown he can apply those strengths against NBA defenses, Hansen’s still trying to find his bearings.
To be fair, Queen isn’t a perfect player. He’s undersized for a big at 6-foot-9, and he’s not a rim protector by any stretch.
His three-point shooting has also been a concern-he’s hitting just 17.9% from deep, which limits his ability to stretch the floor. But in the right context, those flaws can be covered.
And that’s where the fit in Portland could’ve been ideal. Pairing Queen with Donovan Clingan-who’s quickly developing into one of the league’s premier shot-blockers and has made real strides as a floor spacer (31.8% from three on nearly three attempts per game)-might’ve been the perfect balance. Clingan could’ve handled the defensive heavy lifting, while Queen could’ve operated as a secondary playmaker, helping initiate offense and unlocking opportunities for Portland’s young, athletic backcourt.
Instead, Portland went with the higher-ceiling, lower-floor option in Hansen. The idea was clear: a 7-footer with vision and feel is rare, and if it clicks, the payoff could be huge. But right now, the gap between potential and production is wide-and growing.
There’s still time for Hansen to develop, and no one’s writing off his career just yet. But through the first half of the season, the decision to pass on Queen is starting to look like a costly one.
Queen may not be a star in the making, but he’s already a solid NBA player. And for a team trying to build around a promising young core, that kind of ready-made contributor is exactly what the Blazers could’ve used.