As Portland eyes a playoff return, the mammoth center’s evolution into a high-volume scorer could transform the Blazers' unproven frontcourt into one of the league’s most formidable units.
The Portland Trail Blazers earned the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference last season and broke into the playoff picture. But in the West, nothing is linear. There’s no guarantee Portland will have what it takes to replicate that success and make the playoffs again this season.
If the Blazers are going to do that, or potentially take another step forward, they’ll need more than their new acquisitions to shine. The existing young talent will have to continue to blossom as well.
Of course, Ja Morant, the newest face in the backcourt, as well as Damian Lillard, who’s coming back from injury, will play huge roles in any progression Portland is able to make as a franchise this season. But one of the players who could make the most tangible impact on a rise in the standings year over year is Donovan Clingan, the mammoth center entering his third NBA season.
The guard rotation is fairly shored up in Portland. It’s the frontcourt where there are more question marks. There’s certainly depth there, and it’s not necessarily a positional group of weakness, but it is less proven.
Clingan was phenomenal last season, averaging nearly 12 points and 12 rebounds per game while making a noticeable jump from his rookie year. He established himself as arguably the best offensive rebounder in the league and became a consistent force around the basket.
But there’s still another level he can reach.
If Clingan can take another leap this season, especially as a scorer, the entire outlook of Portland’s frontcourt changes. If he goes from roughly 12 points per game to something closer to 18 while maintaining his elite rebounding production, all of a sudden the Blazers are looking at a player who has a legitimate case as one of the 15 best centers in the NBA.
And there’s reason to believe more production could be available simply through increased opportunity.
Clingan didn’t play huge minutes at the college level, and even through his first two NBA seasons, his workload hasn’t been particularly heavy. He averaged just over 27 minutes per game last season as he continued developing the conditioning and physical endurance necessary to battle in the paint for 30-plus minutes every night.
Naturally, there’s upside that comes with simply being able to stay on the floor longer.
Portland already has plenty of pieces across its roster, including several players who have proven they can contribute to winning basketball at a high level. But if Clingan can make the jump from a 12-point, 12-rebound center into something closer to an 18-and-12 player while maintaining his impact defensively and on the offensive glass, the Blazers suddenly become one of the more compelling rosters in the league.
Keep an eye on Clingan as one of the biggest X-factors in whether Portland can take another tangible step forward this season.
