The Portland Trail Blazers invested consecutive first-round picks at the center position with Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen. They would be better off with Zach Edey and Derik Queen on their roster. It's a controversial take, but one that seems fair given how well Edey and Queen have played compared to Clingan and Hansen this season.
Edey and Queen were both highly polarizing prospects who excelled at the collegiate level but fell in the draft due to concerns surrounding how their game would translate to the NBA.
For Edey, it was about his fit as a 7-foot-3, 300-pound center who thrives off a back-to-the-basket game, trying to adjust to the pace and space of the modern NBA.
Queen was almost the exact opposite -- a 6-foot-9 big man with a historically bad combine projecting to be a tweener as someone who couldn't provide rim protection but also couldn't effectively space the floor.
It's too early to definitively say that these would've been better options, especially given how well Clingan has played in his starting role this season following Deandre Ayton's buyout. But it's certainly trending that way early on.
The Blazers haven't nailed the draft lately
Edey ranks 12th in the league in EPM, ahead of stars such as Karl-Anthony Towns, Cade Cunningham, and Victor Wembanyama. The dropoff defensively between Clingan and Edey is not as significant as Blazers fans would believe, while Edey offers much more offensively with underrated fluidity and finishing ability for his size.
The more drastic difference, however, lies between Queen and Portland's rookie. The Maryland product is ranked fifth on the Kia Rookie Ladder, averaging 12.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.
Meanwhile, Hansen has yet to make an immediate impact, struggling to adjust to the speed and overall competitiveness of the NBA. He just received his first start in Portland's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, but unfortunately looked out of place, finishing with four points, five rebounds, and two assists in 19 minutes.
Admittedly, Edey and Queen aren't perfect fits for Portland's roster vision, as general manager Joe Cronin has emphasized a defensive identity built on athleticism and versatility. But at the same time, the talent disparity shows that the Blazers sometimes have tunnel vision when it comes to prioritizing fit over talent.
Edey and Queen are two prime examples of teams overthinking the draft evaluation. Everything they did well at the collegiate level is translating to the NBA. Portland still could've had a dominant interior presence with Edey, and, most importantly, their desired offensive hub with Queen.
The past few seasons have been a turning point in the Blazers' rebuild, and the fact that they haven't absolutely nailed these picks -- especially after doubling down at the same position -- is going to make it that much harder to catch up out west.