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And now, Yang Hansen is comfortable enough to reflect, in his second language, on all of it: the struggles of adjusting to the physicality of the NBA as a rookie, the pressure of living up to the expectations of hundreds of millions of Chinese fans who haven't had a player of their own to root for in years, and his excitement about playing with Damian Lillard next season. "I'm more used to the situation now," he said as he squeezed his 7-foot-1 frame into a small couch in a side room of the lobby of the hotel.
Trail Blazers PR: SUMMER LEAGUE INJURY REPORT: Yang Hansen (Illness) is OUT for tonight’s game vs. ORL.
Sean Highkin: The Blazers have announced their Summer League roster, which features Yang Hansen and the two two-ways they currently have under contract, Jayson Kent and Chris Youngblood. Gil Abraham, one of their player development coaches, will be head coach.
The Blazers have immediate needs at center and power forward. They are not expected to retain free agent center Robert Williams III, who is hoping to land a contract in the $15 million a year range, leaving only second-year center Yang Hansen as a backup to Donovan Clingan. The Blazers are also thin at power forward, with Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara their only options.
The Blazers have immediate needs at center and power forward. They are not expected to retain free agent center Robert Williams III, who is hoping to land a contract in the $15 million a year range, leaving only second-year center Yang Hansen as a backup to Donovan Clingan.
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Blazers Lead: Rich Paul asked Tom Dundon: How do you maximize the viewership that Yang Hansen brings? Dundon acknowledged how the views peaked early on and then tapered off because Hansen didn’t play, to which Paul said “you gotta play him” Dundon said: “I’m not doing that” “I’m not playing him just because he gets views. If he earns it, he’ll play, of course, I’m not stupid. It would be great if he was good, and I hope he will be good…it’s early” Notably, he added, “the guys in Portland are very confident in this”
Rich Paul asked Tom Dundon: How do you maximize the viewership that Yang Hansen brings?
— Blazers Lead (@BlazersLead) May 16, 2026
Dundon acknowledged how the views peaked early on and then tapered off because Hansen didn’t play, to which Paul said “you gotta play him”
Dundon said: “I’m not doing that”
“I’m not playing… pic.twitter.com/gQrFmHAoak
Word is Portland has even considered college coaches for the position. Sources say that there are question marks, too, about the Blazers' front office going forward after assistant general managers Sergi Oliva and Mike Schmitz were each just suspended for two weeks without pay for making what the NBA deemed illegal contact with rookie big man Hansen Yang two years before he was draft-eligible.
Sean Highkin: "At the press conference to introduce the new ownership group, Andrew Cherng, who co-founded Panda Express with his wife, was asked why he invested in the Blazers. He said he's Chinese, he likes that the Blazers have a Chinese player, and he sees a lot of business opportunities in China because of that. One of the minority owners said that on the record. And then Sheel Tyle, the other public-facing member of the group, did an interview with The Athletic and talked about wanting to make the Blazers into Asia's team. He had dinner with Yao Ming, who talked about how popular Hansen is. So you've got one minority owner saying he only invested because they had a Chinese player, and another saying he wants to make them Asia's team. I think it's pretty clear (Yang) Hansen is very much a part of this organization going forward."
Shams Charania: The Portland Trail Blazers have been fined $100,000 for illegal contact with Yang Hansen two years ago, prior to the 2025 NBA draft -- and assistant general managers Mike Schmitz and Sergi Oliva have been suspended for a period of time, sources tell ESPN.
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Trail Blazers: OFFICIAL: The @Trail Blazers have assigned center Yang Hansen to the @Rip City Remix.
Trail Blazers PR: INJURY UPDATE: Sidy Cissoko and Yang Hansen are AVAILABLE to play tonight @ ATL.
Trail Blazers PR: INJURY UPDATE: Donovan Clingan is OUT tonight @ CHI. Robert Williams III and Yang Hansen are AVAILABLE to play.
