Hansen Yang

[dckingsfan]

Meyers Leonard had 6 seasons when he shot over 40% on three's; 4 seasons when he shot over 42%; and one season shot 45%. Didn't make him valuable at all

Hmmm, I think Yang passing out of the high post would be a huge differentiator to Meyers Leonard, no?

no, I don't agree. I think that's a skill, at this point, Yang possesses only in the imagination of some Blazer fans. The notion Yang can be a hub of the Blazer offense is a massive stretch, at best, and may simply be ludicrous. All the "Chinese Jokic" hype last summer was idiotic. Making 2 or 3 high post passes in summer league doesn't mean it's a skill that translates to an actual NBA game.

He's played 29 minutes so far and hasn't had an assist. What he has shown is that he can be a turnover machine and him having the ball out past the foul line extended where he'd be exposed to all the quick hands of NBA perimeter players seems guaranteed to generate easy points for other teams, not for the Blazers.

I'm at the 'he has to prove it' stage for Yang. I'm not buying any of the upside chatter from his fans. I've seen him play and he has generally been useless. He's quite slow and immobile; he makes Meyers look like Usain Bolt. I expect he will improve, but I do not expect dramatic improvement at all. I think there's a good chance he will be a wasted lottery pick

Well, yes. he needs to prove it - that is for sure.

But to think he doesn't have passing skills. I don't know and then jumping to the Chinese Jokic strawman isn't helpful for actual analysis. Nor is one to Meyers Leonard, right?

And yes, there is a VERY solid change he won't amount to much. But if he does, it will be because of his passing and skills (which he does have for someone his size).

Either way, we won't know for a couple of years.

[Wizenheimer]

Well, yes. he needs to prove it - that is for sure.

But to think he doesn't have passing skills. I don't know and then jumping to the Chinese Jokic strawman isn't helpful for actual analysis. Nor is one to Meyers Leonard, right?

And yes, there is a VERY solid change he won't amount to much. But if he does, it will be because of his passing and skills (which he does have for someone his size).

Either way, we won't know for a couple of years.

I know I'm using some negative hyperbole about Yang. But I remember in the off-season seeing about 2 dozen Youtube videos about Yang than were ridiculously over-the-top. And yes, several compared him to Jokic while many talked about how the Blazers got the steal of the draft and that Yang was going to change the NBA for Chinese players. It was nauseating

and I know that my hyperbole means I might end up eating some crow if the guy ever does develop. But he's not going to get faster. I have seen him make 2 or 3 nice passes from the perimeter. But they weren't nicer than any of the 1500 assists Nurkic has. Nurkic averaged 4 assists/game a couple of season. I'll eat my hat if Yang ever averages over 3.

but more than that is I think that when immobile Cs like Clingan and Yang (and Meyers, and Nurkic) hang around the perimeter close to the arc they are being mostly useless. I hate it.

Portland has played 576 minutes so far. That's only 57% of the minutes for Clingan & Yang. Add the minutes for Timelord and Reath and it's still only 80% of the minutes. But Reath has played a lot of time at the PF position and Timelord is as mobile as a PF himself. The Blazers have only played 27 minutes a game with slow, drop-coverage C's. NBA teams play small-ball. Of the 7 most used 5-man lineups for Portland, 3 have no C. I just can't see the usefulness of two plodding bigs like Clingan and Yang. But what I do see is that Clingan is more mobile than Yang and a lot quicker in reaction time. He's just a lot better, and that's even after accounting for his flaws and the issues he's had this season.

The limited usefulness of drop-coverage C's in the modern NBA is why Kris Murray has played a lot of C this season. Guys like Gobert and Zubac and Clingan and Steven Adams have a role, but they need to be in a C rotation with guys like Naz Reid, or Chet Holmgren, or Sengun. And not in a rotation with a deeply discounted version of themselves

I'm still baffled by the decision to draft Yang

[zzaj]

Well, yes. he needs to prove it - that is for sure.

But to think he doesn't have passing skills. I don't know and then jumping to the Chinese Jokic strawman isn't helpful for actual analysis. Nor is one to Meyers Leonard, right?

And yes, there is a VERY solid change he won't amount to much. But if he does, it will be because of his passing and skills (which he does have for someone his size).

Either way, we won't know for a couple of years.

I know I'm using some negative hyperbole about Yang. But I remember in the off-season seeing about 2 dozen Youtube videos about Yang than were ridiculously over-the-top. And yes, several compared him to Jokic while many talked about how the Blazers got the steal of the draft and that Yang was going to change the NBA for Chinese players. It was nauseating

and I know that my hyperbole means I might end up eating some crow if the guy ever does develop. But he's not going to get faster. I have seen him make 2 or 3 nice passes from the perimeter. But they weren't nicer than any of the 1500 assists Nurkic has. Nurkic averaged 4 assists/game a couple of season. I'll eat my hat if Yang ever averages over 3.

but more than that is I think that when immobile Cs like Clingan and Yang (and Meyers, and Nurkic) hang around the perimeter close to the arc they are being mostly useless. I hate it.

Portland has played 576 minutes so far. That's only 57% of the minutes for Clingan & Yang. Add the minutes for Timelord and Reath and it's still only 80% of the minutes. But Reath has played a lot of time at the PF position and Timelord is as mobile as a PF himself. The Blazers have only played 27 minutes a game with slow, drop-coverage C's. NBA teams play small-ball. Of the 7 most used 5-man lineups for Portland, 3 have no C. I just can't see the usefulness of two plodding bigs like Clingan and Yang. But what I do see is that Clingan is more mobile than Yang and a lot quicker in reaction time. He's just a lot better, and that's even after accounting for his flaws and the issues he's had this season.

The limited usefulness of drop-coverage C's in the modern NBA is why Kris Murray has played a lot of C this season. Guys like Gobert and Zubac and Clingan and Steven Adams have a role, but they need to be in a C rotation with guys like Naz Reid, or Chet Holmgren, or Sengun. And not in a rotation with a deeply discounted version of themselves

I'm still baffled by the decision to draft Yang

One thing has been VERY true of the Schmitz lead era of Blazers scouting—every player they’ve drafted has either taken a long time to develop, or has not developed much at all. And while that’s probably true of most teams, with so many trips to the lottery, at a certain point you have to expect some returns.

[dckingsfan]

Well, yes. he needs to prove it - that is for sure.

But to think he doesn't have passing skills. I don't know and then jumping to the Chinese Jokic strawman isn't helpful for actual analysis. Nor is one to Meyers Leonard, right?

And yes, there is a VERY solid change he won't amount to much. But if he does, it will be because of his passing and skills (which he does have for someone his size).

Either way, we won't know for a couple of years.

I know I'm using some negative hyperbole about Yang. But I remember in the off-season seeing about 2 dozen Youtube videos about Yang than were ridiculously over-the-top. And yes, several compared him to Jokic while many talked about how the Blazers got the steal of the draft and that Yang was going to change the NBA for Chinese players. It was nauseating

and I know that my hyperbole means I might end up eating some crow if the guy ever does develop. But he's not going to get faster. I have seen him make 2 or 3 nice passes from the perimeter. But they weren't nicer than any of the 1500 assists Nurkic has. Nurkic averaged 4 assists/game a couple of season. I'll eat my hat if Yang ever averages over 3.

but more than that is I think that when immobile Cs like Clingan and Yang (and Meyers, and Nurkic) hang around the perimeter close to the arc they are being mostly useless. I hate it.

Portland has played 576 minutes so far. That's only 57% of the minutes for Clingan & Yang. Add the minutes for Timelord and Reath and it's still only 80% of the minutes. But Reath has played a lot of time at the PF position and Timelord is as mobile as a PF himself. The Blazers have only played 27 minutes a game with slow, drop-coverage C's. NBA teams play small-ball. Of the 7 most used 5-man lineups for Portland, 3 have no C. I just can't see the usefulness of two plodding bigs like Clingan and Yang. But what I do see is that Clingan is more mobile than Yang and a lot quicker in reaction time. He's just a lot better, and that's even after accounting for his flaws and the issues he's had this season.

The limited usefulness of drop-coverage C's in the modern NBA is why Kris Murray has played a lot of C this season. Guys like Gobert and Zubac and Clingan and Steven Adams have a role, but they need to be in a C rotation with guys like Naz Reid, or Chet Holmgren, or Sengun. And not in a rotation with a deeply discounted version of themselves

I'm still baffled by the decision to draft Yang

One thing has been VERY true of the Schmitz lead era of Blazers scouting—every player they’ve drafted has either taken a long time to develop, or has not developed much at all. And while that’s probably true of most teams, with so many trips to the lottery, at a certain point you have to expect some returns.

Yep, this.

And several things can be true at once.

1) The Blazers haven't been all that in the draft over the last 5 years
Shaedon Sharpe
Jabari Walker
Scoot Henderson
Kris Murray
Rayan Rupert
Donovan Clingan
Hansen Yang

2) Players the Blazers have drafted recently haven't made immediate impacts
Sharpe and Scoot have taken a long time to develop and it looks like Clingan is going the same way. Murray is what he is and I think Rupert is going the same direction.

3) We should have done a better job getting a small ball C/PF
We had ample chances this off season but didn't get it done

4) Yang could develop or probably he won't.
Hype doesn't help the development. If he does, things will work themselves out. If he does, it will be because of his passing and hitting 3s to open the floor.

But it is one thing to draft who you think is the BPA. Quite another not to realize that they are a development player and not to fill your roster with players that can fill the "holes". Having Yang and Dame on the roster eats 2 of 15 slots, smh. Love, Cissoko as your two way players, smh. And if you don't believe in Rupert, waive him.

Back to Yang, since this is the Yang thread - we now have to give it a couple of years to see what we will see.

[Case2012]

I want to actually see Hansen Yang play real NBA minutes while we’re trying to win. We gave up Coward to draft him, so it’s insane to bury him before we even know what he is. But of course Tiago isn’t going to risk his job by playing a raw, polarizing project big. No shock there... Nate should’ve gotten the job instead and I respect his loyalty but the last thing this front office needed was another “protect-my-own-seat-first” coach running rotations.

Yang isn’t going to become the offensive hub that every YouTuber desperate for clicks keeps calling him. He’s not Jokic 2.0 but he does have real potential, and given what we sacrificed to get him, he deserves a real shot. Even 10–12 minutes a night. Something.

Meanwhile, Coward might legitimately end up in the Rookie of the Year conversation depending on how fast Flagg ramps up (and Flagg looked great tonight, not gonna lie). Memphis is giving Coward the exact role we desperately need: a long, modern wing who can shoot, defend, and grow into a real piece. And we traded him for a guy we won’t even play. I bet Memphis wouldn't take any one of Toumani, Yang, Clingan, Sharpe or Scoot for Coward straight up.

That’s what stings more than anything.

We made the most shocking (stupid) pick in the draft and every basketball person on earth said “What the **** are the Blazers doing?” and then we don’t even put him on the floor. He gets billed as the next Jokic, the next great passing hub, and then Tiago takes over and Yang basically vanishes.

If you’re going to make a swing like that, play him.
If you’re going to sell the fanbase on “trust the vision,” show us the vision.

Right now it feels like Portland gambled everything on a massive outlier bet (jersey sales) and then got scared to even test it.

There's zero Chance Schmitz and Cronin are a part of this team after the sale, thank god.

[oldfishermen]

G league game last night.
Hansen
21 pts
3 blks
3 asst
9 rebounds

Watch on YouTube

;si=Z7bGcTnyFiOgpvGR

[Walton1one]

This team only needs ONE drop big and they already have a really good one in DC, you know the guy who played last night and had 16 & 11 with 2 blocks while playing 28min, he might have scored\rebounded more if he wasn't jacking up six 3pt shots and in the paint more as well.

Never needed another drop big, it was a stupid pick then, still is a stupid pick, no matter what Yang does in the G-League.

One can only imagine how much better the bench might be right now if POR had selected Coward or any other number of players....

The front office of this team continues to operate as if they know something the rest of the league doesn't and continually show that they do not, good riddance when they are finally gone (Yes, Schmitz too, incredibly overrated)

[dckingsfan]

In a vacuum. They only get Cedric Coward if they don't trade the pick. Yes, you were right, they should have taken Coward (my pick also). But... they believed that Yang and the additional pick was worth the risk.

IMO, I think the BEST trade was with NO for an unprotected pick in 2026. That is where I think there is negligence in not knowing that possibility existed.

Also, they easily could have selected another player at 16 that also wouldn't be playing meaningful minutes this season. Or they could have traded down to get multiple picks and risked losing Yang - but they completely believe in Yang.

I also think that having two drop bigs on a roster of 15 is fine.

3 PGs
9 Wings
2 Small Sall PFs
2 Drop bigs

The problem as alluded to by many is that we have a fragile lineup, Dame is out for the year and we have 4 players that shouldn't see the court at this time.

[Walton1one]

IMO, knowing what they already had in DC, selecting Yang instead of a stretch big (or addressing other areas of the roster, shooting\depth), was a mistake. They got enamored with the idea of a player and overvalued\drafted him, we have all seen it before (Martell Webster\Sebastian Telfair\Meyers Leonard\Zach Collins....I could go on)

The fundamental problem with Yang, summed up in an article about Kon Knueppel (who has been great for CHA, actually their entire draft class is strong, once they lose Ball, they should be on the path)

If a team slots a questionable defender into a higher-minutes role, there becomes a great risk as to how much the team can lose those minutes by if the offensive production doesn’t make up for the defensive shortcomings.

Yang is a massive liability on the defensive end at the NBA level, with serious questions about whether his offensive capabilities, which the POR front office is banking on, will ever be enough to offset that. I seriously doubt they will.

Side note: Good article on Knueppel, who had a lot of doubters coming into the draft, he has been very good & would have fit very well in this POR lineup.

17.6ppg 46.5% FG%, 40.2% 3ptFG%- 6 reb - 2.7ast - TS% of 61.8%

https://www.noceilingsnba.com/p/charlotte-hornets-kon-knueppel-and?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=536361&post_id=179069618&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=1f5gb9&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

[zzaj]

G league game last night.
Hansen
21 pts
3 blks
3 asst
9 rebounds

Watch on YouTube

;si=Z7bGcTnyFiOgpvGR

I actually like the angle and closeness of "Chinese Baller Vision"!

The issue with Gleague is two-fold:

1) There's no good big man competition for Yang.

2) All but one of those offensive plays in that video involved Yang in the mid or high post, which doesn't exist in the Blazer offense. So unless something drastically changes within the big kid team playbook, we aren't going to see much of the above.

Hopefully it gets his conditioning up though!

[dckingsfan]

G league game last night.
Hansen
21 pts
3 blks
3 asst
9 rebounds

Watch on YouTube

;si=Z7bGcTnyFiOgpvGR

I actually like the angle and closeness of "Chinese Baller Vision"!

The issue with Gleague is two-fold:

1) There's no good big man competition for Yang.

2) All but one of those offensive plays in that video involved Yang in the mid or high post, which doesn't exist in the Blazer offense. So unless something drastically changes within the big kid team playbook, we aren't going to see much of the above.

Hopefully it gets his conditioning up though!

I would hope to see some changes over time - depending on his development.

Also, he needs to be further out of the restricted area when going for those blocked shots (IMO).

[zzaj]

G league game last night.
Hansen
21 pts
3 blks
3 asst
9 rebounds

Watch on YouTube

;si=Z7bGcTnyFiOgpvGR

I actually like the angle and closeness of "Chinese Baller Vision"!

The issue with Gleague is two-fold:

1) There's no good big man competition for Yang.

2) All but one of those offensive plays in that video involved Yang in the mid or high post, which doesn't exist in the Blazer offense. So unless something drastically changes within the big kid team playbook, we aren't going to see much of the above.

Hopefully it gets his conditioning up though!

I would hope to see some changes over time - depending on his development.

Also, he needs to be further out of the restricted area when going for those blocked shots (IMO).

At this stage I don't have much faith in Yang as a hub out of the post in offensive sets, but I agree with you...something has to give with the Blazer halfcourt offense. You can't rely on Jrue, Deni or Sharpe PnR extended the whole season and call it a day. It was vanilla under Chauncey and it's vanilla under Splitter. Blazers have to make use of their +cutters. Especially so once Matisse, Wesley and Scoot come back.

[Wizenheimer]

without a complete overhaul of the offense, the idea Yang can be a high post hub is ludicrous

so far, Clingan-Timelord-Reath-Yang have played 530 minutes, nearly 41 minutes a game extrapolated, and I can't recall a high post pass from any that wasn't an accident....and there have only been 2 or 3 of those accidents

[zzaj]

without a complete overhaul of the offense, the idea Yang can be a high post hub is ludicrous

so far, Clingan-Timelord-Reath-Yang have played 530 minutes, nearly 41 minutes a game extrapolated, and I can't recall a high post pass from any that wasn't an accident....and there have only been 2 or 3 of those accidents

Yeah, the Blazers are between a rock and a hard place with the offensive system they have in place and the Centers on the roster. There's really no role for them other than garbage points and wide open 3s.

At least Clingan can create some extra possessions with his offensive rebounding--not sure how much of an impact it makes with how badly the Blazers are shooting, however, RWIII is at least a decent enough lob threat and good at playing out of the dunkers spot. But I just can't see him ever playing more than 15ish minutes a night.

Probably the best fit type of C would be something like a prime Brook Lopez.

[oldfishermen]

https://youtu.be/e8SAUmG0sAo?si=TLAGmCAvXBsUzYyB

[dckingsfan]

Watch on YouTube

yeah, doesn't look like he is going to be horrible in this small sample size.

[Walton1one]

I beg to differ...I remember people saying the same thing about Leonard as well. Ha Seung Jin he is not, but starting caliber center or reliable backup center he is not either.

Maybe Caleb Love is the next Lillard then too, right?

[BlazersBroncos]

He looked nice on offense last night IMO. Not a world beater, and its odd to see him hold the ball so long looking for cutters - but it seemed to work. Its just nice to see his presence in the high key lead to cutting when our normal halfcourt offense is STILL simply waiting around for iso plays.

On defense, outside his rim protection which is nice, he really is pretty lost. He is slow as hell rotating to the 3PT line to close out and often didnt even try to get there (Think I saw this like 3 times).

Rebounding he is from the Brook Lopez school of keying on his man to box out and letting the chips otherwise fall as they may.

On a bad night he was one of the brighter spots even if it was just in garbage time.