Team reporter: Yang Hansen needs playing time but his skill level is not sufficient yet; players can only improve through game experience.

On October 28th Beijing time, Trail Blazers reporter Mike Richman talked about Yang Hansen’s status on a podcast, pointing out that his current skill level is insufficient, but also stating that players can only develop through actual game time. He hopes the Trail Blazers will find ways to allocate some minutes to Hansen. Below is the related part of his podcast—

The Trail Blazers have indeed given Yang Hansen some playing time, correct? I support finding ways to give him minutes for growth—players can only improve by playing, but his current level is still lacking. Moreover, it’s clear the team doesn’t believe he can be trusted in critical moments right now.

Around the 7-minute mark of the game, he usually comes in as the first substitute; but typically plays only 3 to 5 minutes before being subbed out and rarely returns afterward. In the first game, he even got a second chance to enter, but after Split took over coaching, he only appeared during garbage time—against the Clippers, he played just 4 minutes, which is his usual regular-season playing time at present.

I mention Yang Hansen’s situation because in the second half of games, the Trail Blazers’ tactical options are quite limited, basically two choices: either bring in Payton Pritchard or deploy a small lineup in different ways.

Option one: Payton Pritchard enters the game

Pritchard is a solid defensive player but has very limited offensive skills. He seldom takes two-point shots unless it’s a put-back. He has recently started attempting more three-pointers, which I appreciate, but overall his offensive repertoire is too narrow. In pick-and-roll situations, he offers no real threat, making his impact very limited. Nevertheless, his defensive ability fits the Trail Blazers’ defense-first identity, which is why the team values him.

Option two: Deploying a small lineup

Some small lineups work very well and are entertaining to watch. Combining fast pace and athleticism, they can suppress many teams. But against teams like the Clippers, who are immune to this and have counter-strategies (such as using a big lineup that allows their key scorers to isolate on the perimeter, completely ignoring the small lineup’s rhythm), the Trail Blazers have little way to respond.

What other tricks does Split have?

Try Yang Hansen? At this stage, he can’t contribute; wait for Robert Williams III? He hasn’t been cleared to play yet; use Deupree Reese? His skill set doesn’t fit the team’s defensive system that requires rim protection and switching defense—although he had a few good blocks early in the season, he can neither protect the rim effectively nor move quickly enough to play true small-ball switching defense. Even if tried, it likely wouldn’t work.