The Portland Trail Blazers were unlucky in the draft lottery, landing the No. 7 overall pick despite tying the Charlotte Hornets for the fourth-worst record in the NBA at 21-61. However, Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report has a 'strong suspicion' that Clingan was at the top of the Blazers' draft board all along, and they were able to secure him without having to trade up in the draft.
It all worked out on draft day, but the Blazers would ideally like a better pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which is filled with talented prospects, most notably Duke's Cooper Flag.
Trading key players for draft capital
This is more of a signal to watch, while the other two signs have already occurred this offseason. The Blazers did move Malcolm Brogdon for Deni Avdija, but they also gave up two of their first-round picks. Avdija is a starting-level player, so while it shows that they emphasize youth, it shouldn't be considered a sign that they are blatantly tanking.
A better indication would be if the Blazers move established players, notably Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant, or Anfernee Simons, for draft capital. For instance, If Portland decides to ship Simons to give Scoot Henderson an expanded starting role, it would be extremely obvious that they already have their sights set for the next offseason.
The 2025 trade deadline will be extremely telling as contending teams will look to add some of the Blazers' key pieces to help put them over the top. Portland could be more inclined to make this type of deal if they want to bottom out completely and aren't quite there yet.