Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan is nearing the end of his rookie season. After being selected seventh overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, Clingan has played 61 games, averaging 6.1 points and 7.4 rebounds while playing 19 minutes per game, shooting 54% from the field. Those are not bad numbers for a guy considered a prospect heading into the league. His 1.6 blocks per game, extending to 3.0 per 36 minutes, establish his credentials over and above the basics. Clingan has given good return on investment so far.
Despite this, a question has dogged the young center throughout his rookie season, as illustrated by this submission to the Blazer’s Edge Mailbag.