Blazer beat reporter Quinn Everts defends Yang Hanshen: Why doesn't he get a chance to develop when the Blazers have a sub-.500 record?

On November 27th Beijing time, Blazers reporter Quinn Everts expressed support for Yang Hanshen in his latest article, suggesting that Billups ought to provide this 16th pick with more opportunities on the court. The article reads —

In recent months, I have stressed the importance of patience with Yang Hanshen. Currently, Billups is practicing this patience — and doing so very firmly. His patience with Yang has reached a point where Blazers fans feel disappointed, hoping to see their first-round pick get genuine minutes (not just a few garbage-time minutes like in the recent game against the Bucks), which is entirely understandable.

Although I am not worried about Yang Hanshen’s development, I do understand why fans are increasingly puzzled by the Blazers’ allocation of playing time — especially when players like Syverson, Caleb Love, Lüpper, and Chris Murray consistently receive steady minutes each night.

If the Blazers were a veteran-led, dominant team in the league, it would make sense that Yang Hanshen is left out of the rotation. But that is not the case: despite some exciting wins, the Blazers hold a sub-50% winning percentage, and several key players are hampered by injuries. Isn’t this exactly the perfect chance for Yang Hanshen to get on the floor and gain experience?

To reiterate, I don’t believe Yang should be playing 25 minutes every night or suddenly be tasked with leading the Blazers’ second unit. But since other young players are earning playing time… why not let Yang also have a bit of a chance to prove himself?

Moreover, Love, Syverson, or Lüpper aren’t significantly ahead of Yang Hanshen in their development stages. These players get minutes because Billups is essentially saying, “Let’s see what you can do.” Sometimes they perform excellently — like Love’s career-best game against the Warriors; other times, they struggle badly — such as Love shooting 3-for-13 in the very next game.

But that’s okay! Young players should be allowed to have bad games; it’s a crucial part of their growth curve in this league. The Blazers clearly understand this. So why can’t Yang Hanshen at least get a few minutes on the court, whether to showcase his skills or to learn from the experience?