Blazers' pick baffles NBA scout

Billy Heyen

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Trail Blazers' 1st-round pick decision confuses NBA analyst image

TL;DR

  • Portland Trail Blazers traded down in NBA Draft for Chinese center Yang Hansen.
  • Hansen, dubbed "Chinese Jokic," has been a non-factor early in the season.
  • Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley regrets the Blazers' decision to not involve Hansen more.
  • Concerns about Hansen's pace predated his arrival, and he's low on the depth chart.

The Portland Trail Blazers made a big move in the NBA Draft to trade down and position themselves for one key player.

That guy was Chinese center Yang Hansen.

Since then, though, the Blazers haven't used Hansen like a team that wanted him.

The big fella dubbed the "Chinese Jokic" has been a non-factor in the early going.

This has perplexed Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley, who has expressed regret over the Blazers' decision to acquire Hansen without involving him more in the game.

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This is Buckley's logic:

The Portland Trail Blazers, despite showing signs of a win-now mentality this offseason by Acquiring Jrue Holiday and re-signing Damian Lillard, maintained a long-term perspective during the draft. Rather than selecting another lottery-level prospect, they traded their No. 11 overall pick, which could have been used for players like Cedric Coward or Derik Queen, and surprised many by using the No. 16 selection on Yang Hansen.

The bet on his exceptional size and skill (7'1", 270 lbs) was intriguing, instantly transforming the Blazers into a captivating team during the summer league. However, concerns about his ability to match the NBA's pace predated his arrival.

The answers to those questions remain elusive, as he's positioned very low on the team's depth chart. It's worth recalling that Portland selected another center, Donovan Clingan, with the seventh overall pick just last year, and they still have Robert Williams III and Duop Reath on the roster. Consequently, Hansen has accumulated merely 29 more NBA minutes than the average person up to this point.

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It's definitely a bit stupefying, but there's a lot to be unpacked in there, too.

It'd also be fun for hoops fans to see the rookie center on the court. He's huge, moves well and has some skill. It'd likely wind up being a very fun one for NBA fans to follow.

But first, the Blazers actually have to let Hansen see the floor.

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Editorial Team