The Portland Trail Blazers open their 2025 Las Vegas Summer League campaign Friday against the Golden State Warriors. Plenty of eyes will be focused on first-round pick Yang Hansen when the Blazers take the floor for the first time. The 7-foot-1 center brings size, intrigue, and a potentially unique skillset to Portland’s frontcourt. Along with Yang’s debut, here are three key things I’ll be watching for during the Blazers’ outings in Las Vegas.
Beyond the Highlight Reels
I’ll be the first to admit that I hadn’t watched much of Yang before the Blazers stunned the NBA world by selecting him in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. Like many fans, my first exposure came via YouTube highlights that were hastily collected after Adam Silver left the podium. Those highlights shined a spotlight on Yang’s smooth shooting mechanics, soft touch around the rim, and high-level passing vision. But as someone who once championed the stellar upside of Luke Babbitt after watching his high school mixtape, I’ll be the first person to warn you that highlight compilations can be deceiving. Las Vegas will offer the first real glimpse of how Yang operates within the full rhythm of a game, not just in curated clips.
Summer league basketball is chaotic by nature. Possessions are fast, offenses are clunky, and guards relentlessly attack the rim with little regard for spacing or structure. That’s exactly why Yang’s early minutes will be so telling. Can he maintain defensive positioning through multiple actions? Will he pick up cheap fouls or stay grounded and disciplined? I still flinch at the memory of past bigs like Caleb Swanigan and Greg Oden racking up fouls in bunches. If Yang struggles with timing and footwork, his minutes run the risk of becoming limited, and early expectations for his role this season will need tempering. But if he holds his ground and protects the rim in the midst of the summer league chaos, it could be a sign that he’s ahead of schedule.
The other question for Yang is how well he keeps pace with the speed and physicality of the game. For all his flashes in the CBA, he’ll now be navigating a setting full of athletic slashers and guards eager to prove themselves. Summer League isn’t built for big men to thrive, but if Yang can anchor the defense, finish plays, and avoid being a step slow in transition, it bodes well for his chances of cracking Portland’s rotation sooner rather than later.
Is Rupert Above Summer League Competition?
Rayan Rupert returns to Las Vegas for his third Summer League stint, this time with expectations that reflect his NBA experience. The 21-year-old French guard has logged 91 games over two seasons, and that NBA experience should give him a clear edge against a field largely filled with rookies and fringe roster players. Second-year players are expected to thrive in Vegas. Third-year players need to. Rupert has a clear opportunity to lead this Blazers squad in production, poise, and defensive intensity. His role in Vegas isn’t just about reps anymore, it’s about proving he’s ready for a more consistent role in the Blazers’ rotation.
Portland’s early matchups give Rupert a clear runway to showcase the two-way upside the organization saw when they selected him in the 2023 NBA Draft. He’ll have the ball in his hands, the freedom to defend the top perimeter threat, and the experience to impose his will on both ends. If Rupert comes out of the gate aggressive and efficient, Portland should feel comfortable giving him an early exit from the summer league grind. A couple strong outings would not only validate his progress, but it would allow the Blazers to allocate minutes to the other perimeter players auditioning for a role.
A Two-Way Contract on the Table
With Sidy Cissoko and Caleb Love already occupying two of Portland’s two-way slots, there’s a competition brewing for the final opening on the Blazers’ payroll. Summer league provides the perfect setting to evaluate a large crop of fringe NBA players. Combine that with Anfernee Simons’ departure, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Portland zero in on players that fit the facilitator mold. That sets the stage for Sean Pedulla, a steady, unassuming floor general who enters Vegas with something to prove. While his game may lack flash, his college production last season, 15.4 points per game on 39.2% from three, deserves a closer look.
Pedulla’s lone season at Ole Miss showcased his effectiveness against top-tier SEC competition. At 6-foot-1, he doesn’t have ideal size, but his feel for the game, shooting touch, and competitive edge could make him a natural fit for Portland’s G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix. If Pedulla shows he can orchestrate an offense and survive defensively against guards looking to relentlessly attack the rim, there’s a real case to extend his tryout with the Blazers into the fall.