Over the summer, there was a ton of hype around Hansen Yang, and while he still oozes potential, Donovan Clingan is reminding people that he’s ready to help lead the Portland Trail Blazers, too. He’s been great for the Blazers thus far, especially considering the defensive identity they have begun to cultivate.
With Toumani Carama, Jrue Holiday, Deni Avdija, and Shaedon Sharpe rounding out the starting lineup, Portland should have a great defense on a night-to-night basis. Yang has plenty of potential, and he should be a big part of the Blazers’ future, but Clingan’s defense is crucial to Portland’s success.
He’s been very impactful to start the season.
How good is Donovan Clingan?
Through the Blazers’ first three games of the season, Clingan has been the full-time starter and has played 25.5 minutes per contest. Yang has played just 6.4 minutes, though that makes sense for a rookie.
In the three games, Clingan has averaged 11.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 62.1% from the floor and 33.3% from deep on 3.0 three-point attempts per game.
The Blazers selected Clingan with the No. 7 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, selecting Yang just one year later. They’ve completely revamped their center position around the rest of their young core.
Yang’s performance at Summer League in Vegas was enough to get fans excited. People were ready to crown him as the future of the franchise, even though he was only the No. 16 pick (and that was viewed as a massive reach on draft night).
However, Clingan was a top-10 pick for a reason. He’s a two-time collegiate National Champion (both with the UConn Huskies) and an absolute giant down low.
Clingan is listed as 7-foot-2 and 280 lbs, able to affect shots at the rim as well as some of the best rim protectors around the league. He’s the anchor of the Blazers’ defense.
With perimeter defenders like Holiday, Camara, and Avdija, Clingan’s rim protection should be even more impactful, too. But there’s still plenty of room for Yang to contribute.
Yang is the better offensive player, though Clingan is still effective in the pick-and-roll. Clingan, however, is far more ready to impact the game on the defensive end, as that’s an area where Yang needs to improve. He still needs time to develop.
For all the hype that Yang has received, Blazers fans shouldn’t forget about Clingan, either.