5. Clingan is exactly what this Blazers roster was missing
Clingan dominated the Summer League on both sides of the ball. There were multiple plays where he got a block and then was rewarded on the offensive end.
DO IT TO 'EM, DC pic.twitter.com/88d4qvDAFw
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) July 20, 2024
That should only happen more as Clingan gets minutes alongside the Blazers' guards like Henderson and Anfernee Simons, who are much better playmakers. Better guard play will mitigate Clingan's offensive limitations, and his defensive strengths should continue to shine.
The Blazers needed to improve their rebounding, rim protection, and playmaking. Their best players, such as Simons, aren't the most physically imposing, and Clingan gives them another dimension; this will especially important both in the playoffs when the level of physicality is increased and also matching up against a lot of the Western Conference teams that have star big men, including the San Antonio Spurs (Victor Wembanyama), Minnesota Timberwolves (Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns), and Denver Nuggets (Nikola Jokic), among others.
The Clingan pick complicates the Blazers' frontcourt, as they have gone from having too many guards to four centers. But Clingan's Summer League performance proved why the Blazers took another center. He's someone who is going to immediately raise their level of play on both sides of the ball.