Tom: Klingen is still the most preferred center position. Rowe has injured more than 26amp; Yang Hansen s rebound is to be tested

August 19th News Today, Trail Blazers reporter DaveDeckard answered netizens' questions on the blazersedge website. The following is all content.

Q: Regarding the dispute over the Portland Trail Blazers center: Can Klingen still be competent for the starter? Who is his competitor? Is the location threatened by others?

This is a difficult problem. Honestly, I think your middle question is the most critical: Who is Klingen's competitor? Robert Williams is the most likely candidate. Due to his injury history, it is often forgotten that he is only 28 years old and is in the prime of his career. He brings unparalleled energy and experience, but frequent injuries make it difficult for him to maintain a stable starting position.

Even if Williams can play, Klingen has a reason to be the starter. The two have quite similar scoring, rebounding and blocking numbers, and they are not good at offenses outside the three-point line (although Klingen's offensive ability still has room for improvement). Both are able to deliver excellent performances on the defensive end, helping the Trail Blazers much-needed rebounds.

The difference is in movement speed and body size. Williams can cover more defensive areas, while Klingen can create deterrence at the basket and take up space. Depending on the Trail Blazers’ priorities and opponents, Klingen can even start with Williams’ healthy. Apart from that, Klingen's main competitor may not be the center at all. The Trail Blazers may choose a small roster to convert the forward into a de facto center to maintain a high degree of mobility on the defensive end and switch flexibly on the offensive end.

Klingen has advantages in both aspects. He performed best at the basket, with his main offensive contribution being a solid pick-and-roll, and the problem with a small lineup is rebounding. Klingen grabbed 19.3 rebounds per 100 rounds last season, far exceeding other players. Williams averaged 16.3 rebounds per game. The other two top four players - DeAndre Ayton and Jabbarry Walker - have left the team. Williams' rebounding ability has dropped sharply.

In the past, rebounding was mainly used to increase the team's offensive opportunities and limit the opponent. But in modern basketball, rebounding also affects another important factor: time. The team not only attaches importance to the number of attacks, but also wants to attack quickly and improve the score per minute as much as possible. Avdia, Sharp, Scud Henderson and Kamala all have the ability to grab rebounds without a real center. But this will put them on their backs to the basket and spend more time fighting for rebounds affecting the speed of the fast break. Even if the center is relatively slow, they can quickly grab the rebound and shoot the ball quickly, which is Klingen's specialty.

Yang Hansen's addition may fill the gap between Klingen and Williams. The biggest question about the rookie is: "Can he grab rebounds? Can he defend?" The evidence is not sufficient at present. Yang Hansen averaged 10.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.3 blocks per game in the four games of Xia Lian. In the long run, he could take Klingen's starting position, but that requires him to do a good job in rebounding and defense, and to show his passing and shooting ability on the offense. It may take him one or two seasons to find his ideal role.

Meanwhile, Klingen is still important. To succeed, he needs to continue to maintain good physical fitness, especially avoiding foul troubles (2.8 per game) and continuing to develop his offensive ability. If he can do that, he has a great chance to be the starter this year. This doesn't mean he is the best solution for the team in the long term, but he may be the best choice for the Trail Blazers at this position right now.