The Portland Trail Blazers sent shockwaves throughout the NBA when they selected China’s Yang Hansen with the 16th overall pick in the draft when he was largely projected to be a second-round pick. So far in NBA Summer League, the selection has looked good, as Yang has shown flashes of the skills that have earned him comparisons to Nikola Jokić.
Yang’s next chance to prove his might comes tonight against another center whose selection was largely derided: the New Orleans Pelicans’ Derik Queen. Queen, too, has been excellent so far in Summer League, displaying mature passing chops and earning comparisons to Jokić himself. The game will tip at 10 p.m. ET.
The Pelicans are 2.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook (-142 on the Moneyline), with the point total set for 179.5. Portland is +120 on the Moneyline. I’ll break down this big man battle with a preview of each team and offer a prediction.
Trail Blazers-Pelicans Roster Breakdown
Yang is the headliner on the Trail Blazers’ roster, but there are plenty of other big names. 23-year-old undrafted rookie Caleb Love had a productive five seasons at North Carolina and Arizona and has averaged 18.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game so far while making 43.8% of his triples. Former lottery pick James Bouknight is fighting for a path back into the NBA, and former San Antonio Spurs wing Sidy Cissoko is hoping to raise his stock as well. Both have been efficient, with Cissoko averaging 14.0 points per game and Bouknight averaging 13.0. Yang’s raw numbers — 10.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game — are the most muted of the team’s “stars”, but with his controlled, cerebral play, it’s no surprise that Portland has won his minutes by 12 points.
New Orleans had a pair of lottery picks after trading up with the Atlanta Hawks to select Queen, so its roster is stocked with highly-touted young talent. Seventh overall pick Jeremiah Fears, who won’t turn 19 until October 16, has the most potential, but the roster also features Yves Missi, who started 67 NBA games last season and was named to the All-Rookie Second Team. The Pelicans’ offensive approach has been well-balanced, with Antonio Reeves averaging 15.0 points per game and Fears and Lester Quiñones contributing 14.5 each. However, Fears’ efficiency (27-18-82 shooting splits) and decision-making (one-to-five assist-to-turnover ratio) leave something to be desired. Missi has struggled mightily from the free-throw line but dominated the glass, and Queen has recorded a pair of double-doubles despite fouling too much.
New Orleans dropped narrow decisions to both the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers, which isn’t terrible given that those are two of the rosters with the most combined NBA experience. The Trail Blazers, meanwhile, dominated the Golden State Warriors before narrowly falling to the Memphis Grizzlies, the latter of which is highlighted by Rookie of the Year finalist Jaylen Wells. The Pelicans have been dominant on the glass, averaging the most rebounds per game in the Summer League so far, but they have a putrid 19:40 assist-to-turnover ratio and have committed the most fouls, while Portland has excelled from deep and at the free throw line.
Trail Blazers vs. Pelicans Pick
Portland Trail Blazers Moneyline (+120)
While New Orleans has more on-paper rookie talent than the Trail Blazers do and the teams have similar coalitions of players with NBA experience, Fears and Queen simply haven’t looked as good so far as Yang has. In particular, the Pelicans’ foul trouble could prove to be a major concern against a Portland team that leads the Summer League in free-throw percentage. Despite Fears’ handles and smooth-looking jump shot, ball-dominant lead guards rarely play winning basketball early on in their careers, and New Orleans has been outscored by 11 points in his 55 minutes.
