A US reporter suggests the Trail Blazers trade Yang Hansen! He lists three reasons: his value is at its peak right now.

On July 19, Beijing time, Yang Hansen's career has just begun, but the 16th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has not yet met the sky-high expectations from before the draft. Sports Illustrated reporter Brener suggests the Trail Blazers consider trading Yang Hansen, and lists the following three reasons —

Multiple centers competing for playing time

The Trail Blazers' frontcourt is currently overcrowded, with a total of five centers on the team.

The 2024 first-round pick Clingan has already shown potential as the team's future core big man; the team just signed a three-year, $44 million extension with Robert Williams a few weeks ago; in addition, they have brought in two other centers with distinct characteristics: Carlson and Porter.

Including Yang Hansen, five interior players are competing for playing time, making it truly difficult for Yang to secure consistent minutes.

His trade value is at its peak right now

It has only been a year since Yang Hansen became a first-round pick, and he still has a lot of untapped potential, which other teams are willing to pay for.

Brener believes the Mavericks would be an ideal trade destination for Yang Hansen. The Mavericks previously poached former Trail Blazers assistant general manager Mike Schmitz to become their general manager, and Schmitz was very high on Yang Hansen. The Mavericks are actively scouting young players who fit their long-term team-building plan and are willing to take a gamble on Yang's potential.

His timeline does not match the Blazers' at all

The Mavericks do not have a hard goal of making the playoffs in the short term next season, so Yang Hansen would be a better fit for this rebuilding team. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers have been active in the offseason, including trading for Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, and all these moves indicate the team aims to contend for the playoffs this season, or even go further.

The Trail Blazers are going all out for a playoff push. Considering Yang Hansen's current abilities and the intense competition at the center position, it will be hard for him to get regular playing time.

If the Trail Blazers were in a rebuilding phase, it would be reasonable to develop Yang Hansen extensively and observe his growth. However, given the team's recent moves, Yang does not have a reserved spot in the team's long-term plans. Therefore, after just one season, the Blazers should weigh all options, including trading him.