The Portland Trail Blazers are expected to take another jump next season in terms of competitiveness and potentially making the playoffs. And while there will be an influx of rumors and attempts to land another star in Portland, the reality is that plenty of in-house development still needs to happen, regardless of what external moves the front office makes.
Arguably the most important player in that regard is Donovan Clingan.
That’s true for multiple reasons. First, Clingan is a game changer when he’s at his best. If he can even begin to scratch the surface of his ceiling, he has the tools to become one of the better bigs in the league. He’s a mammoth presence on the inside, can clog up the paint defensively, protect the rim and impact the game with his size alone. Offensively, he also has enough touch and passing feel to become more than just a traditional rim-running center.
In many ways, he’s the type of frontcourt piece every team is looking for.
Whether the Blazers make a big trade or not, whether they bring in multiple rookies or not, Clingan still has a chance to be one of the most important players on the roster next season. His development could go a long way in determining just how good Portland can be.
The second piece of this is Portland’s center and frontcourt depth. That could look much thinner next season depending on how the offseason unfolds. There are players on the roster who can help in certain roles, but there still aren’t a ton of proven long-term center options behind Clingan. Hansen Yang has shown flashes, and there’s real intrigue with his future, but he’s still young and likely not ready to shoulder a major NBA role right away.
That puts even more importance on Clingan.
Unless Portland brings in another frontcourt player with star upside through the draft, trade or free agency, Clingan is still the face of the franchise in the frontcourt. If he doesn’t improve, this team could be somewhat limited. But if he breaks out, the entire outlook changes.
Portland has plenty of young talent, but Clingan might be the piece that ties everything together. His ability to protect the rim, anchor the defense, rebound, finish plays and grow offensively could be one of the biggest drivers of the Trail Blazers’ success next season.
If the Blazers are going to take the next step, Clingan breaking out may need to be a huge part of it.