Donovan Clingan
Clingan is Portland's starting center and an offensive-rebounding and shot-blocking anchor. Early minutes are lower than last year's, and he is still working to expand his offensive game.
Role
Starting center, per the Yahoo camp preview (about 46 days old) listing his expected role, and Yardbarker's recap (3 days old) calling him the starter since February 2025. Through Portland's 3-0 start he averaged 9.3 points and 9.0 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per game (Yardbarker). Last season he played 27.2 minutes per game over 77 games. Competition at center: Robert Williams III and rookie-contract big Yang Hansen (Fox Sports and FantasyData blurbs). Damian Lillard and Ja Morant are the new creators around him. I found no usage rate and no back-to-back rest plan, and I did not read a depth chart or minutes tracker.
He is a second-year-to-third-year riser who led the NBA in offensive rebounds (4.5 per game) and total rebounds (892) last season. Blazers Edge says he averaged 16.0 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 21 games where he played at least 30 minutes. With Lillard and Morant creating, he can finish possessions on the glass and protect the rim. Blazers Edge's benchmark of 75 games at 30 minutes would be a step up from last season.
His minutes are only 22.3 per game through three games, below last year's 27.2. Fox Sports says Robert Williams III is a real threat to his playing time. His playoff series against San Antonio was rough: Blazers Edge records 21.4 minutes, 7.0 points and 0.6 blocks over five games, and Fox Sports says the Spurs exposed a flaw. His scoring beyond rebound put-backs is still limited (Yahoo). FantasyData blurbs also show leg and illness absences, though I could not date them.
Where analysts split
Whether his minutes climb to the roughly 30 per night Blazers Edge calls the benchmark, or stay capped around the low 20s by Williams III and matchup-based substitution. The sample is only three games, so it is not settled.
Research confidence: thin. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
Others at C
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