A new face, a new coach and a new set of expectations are all part of the Portland Trail Blazers’ new chapter, but Yang Hansen remains one of the more intriguing pieces in the mix.
The 7-foot-1 center from China enters his second NBA season with the Blazers, listed at 270 pounds and still searching for a real foothold in the rotation. He averaged 2.2 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.5 assists last season, and his contract puts him on the second year of his rookie deal at $4.6 million.
Portland is expected to bring Hansen into training camp as a backup center candidate, but the path to minutes looks steep. Donovan Clingan is the starter, Robert Williams III sits ahead of him, and free agent addition Branden Carlson gives the team another option with more experience and versatility. For Hansen to climb into the picture, first-year coach Micah Nori would likely need to lean away from small-ball looks and toward more size and strength in the second unit.
That would be a notable leap for a player whose rookie year made one thing plain early: he was not yet ready for the speed and skill of the NBA. Even with a brief tease in exhibition play and former coach Chauncey Billups saying otherwise, Hansen did not provide meaningful production as a rookie.
Still, the Blazers have reasons to stay patient. Hansen held his own in the Rising Stars game at NBA All-Star Weekend, and he followed that with a solid summer playing for the Chinese national team. Portland views his development as steady, even if it has been slow.
The most likely outcome is that Hansen spends a good chunk of his second season with the Rip City Remix, where he can keep building under the Blazers’ development staff. He’ll get his chances in camp, but the odds of him jumping into a real rotation role right away remain slim.
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Ja Morants Latest Nike Drop Will Have Blazers Fans Talking
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For Blazers fans, it is the kind of release that sticks in the conversation because it keeps Morants shoe line in the spotlight and gives the Nike Ja 4 a fresh visual identity just as the model continues to take shape. The pair is set to arrive through the usual big retail channels, and its arrival will be another reminder that signature shoes can still turn into a talking point far beyond the player wearing them. [Read more 🡒]
Micah Nori Walks Into A Blazers Situation That Could Define Him Fast
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The challenge in front of him goes beyond simple lineup choices, because the Blazers are also trying to sort out how their key names fit in the bigger picture. Damian Lillards return from an Achilles tear is one major piece, while Ja Morants place alongside the young core is another. If Nori can navigate all of that and get Portland moving in the right direction, the conversation around him could turn from first-time hire to early Coach of the Year candidate in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Robert Williams Could Decide How Far Portlands New Era Goes
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Portland is counting on that version of Williams to show up again, especially on the defensive end and around the glass, where his presence can raise the floor for a roster trying to move from promise to actual playoff relevance. The Blazers do not need him to be the face of the era, but they may need him to help define how far this version of the team can go. [Read more 🡒]