2. Drafted Donovan Clingan
The Blazers picking at No. 7 were rumored to be the floor for the UConn center and back-to-back NCAA national champion. Many teams, including the Grizzlies and Blazers, could have moved up in the draft to secure Clingan. But the draft board shook out in Portland's favor, and they landed Clingan at No. 7 without sacrificing any assets to move up.
At 7-foot-2, Clingan is an immediate impact prospect who will contribute to winning with his elite rebounding and rim protection. Those two skills were on full display in the Las Vegas Summer League, as Clingan led the entire league in rebounding (12.3 per game) and set the record for blocks (4.2 per game), surpassing Victor Wembanyama. Clingan was a safe pick in an uncertain draft class with physical tools and skills that translate to the next level.
The most underrated aspect of his game is his passing. Clingan has a high basketball IQ and consistently makes the correct read when he has the ball in his hands. It will be great to see how he operates within the Blazers' offense with more athletic guards like Henderson and Sharpe on the court.
Sure, the Blazers have a center logjam with four big men on their roster: Deandre Ayton, Clingan, Robert Williams III, and Duop Reath. But they are so early in the rebuild that they need to draft the best prospect available and figure out the rest later, which is precisely what they did with Clingan, making it a great pick and arguably the steal of the draft.
Grade: A