Donovan Clingan's productivity makes Deandre Ayton expendable
Despite being a coveted prospect, Clingan somehow fell to the No. 7 overall pick, mainly because teams picking ahead of the Blazers already had established centers. It's great news for Portland that they could land what was possibly their top prospect all along without sacrificing assets to move up in the draft.
Still, it leaves many wondering about the long-term need for the current starting center, Ayton. Something to consider is that Clingan isn't used to playing starter-level minutes in the NBA. As a sophomore at UConn, he only averaged 22.5 minutes per game. The Blazers could keep Ayton around for the short term to allow Clingan time to improve his conditioning.
It would also give them time to assess the status of Williams III and whether he can be relied on as a piece of their core going forward. But the starting center spot is eventually Clingan's for the taking, especially after his dominant Summer League performance in which his rebounding and rim-protecting abilities were on full display.
Ayton may be difficult to move, given his massive $34 million contract. But if the Blazers find a reasonable offer, they should strongly consider shipping him before they risk losing him for nothing when his contract is up at the end of the 2025-26 season.