It’s the final weekend before the NBA regular season begins, which means you’re coming here for your fantasy basketball drafts.
Should you draft Donovan Clingan this season? Here’s the latest outlook, projections, and rankings for the Portland Trail Blazers Center.
Should You Draft Donovan Clingan in Fantasy Basketball?
With Deandre Ayton out of the picture, Donovan Clingan should be in line for consistent starter minutes in Year 2, positioning him as a 2025-26 breakout candidate.
The 7-foot-2 center was an imposing paint presence during his rookie season with Portland, averaging 6.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 53.9% from the field. He ranked fourth in the NBA in shot blocking among qualified players despite playing just 19.8 minutes a night, a testament to his immense fantasy upside.
If Clingan can improve his conditioning, he may be able to average a double-double in his sophomore campaign while competing for the league’s shot-blocking crown. Though he has the ability to swing blocks in category leagues, his poor free-throw shooting (59.6%) may force fantasy managers to punt that category if they draft the 21-year-old.
Offensively, Clingan could benefit from the Trail Blazers’ offseason addition of Jrue Holiday, who should help set him up for easy baskets inside. The big man is projected to be taken in Rounds 7 to 8 in standard leagues, with strong potential to outperform his average draft position.
Looking for more fantasy basketball outlooks? Head over to our NBA landing page for analysis on 200 players.
What Are Clingan’s Fantasy Basketball Projections This Season?
Based on our proprietary metrics here at PFSN, we project Clingan to score 2,184.8 fantasy points this season, with him averaging 8.7 points per game.
This includes 3.6 field goals per game, 0.2 three-pointers per game, 1.2 free throws per game, 10.0 rebounds per game, 1.8 assists per game, 0.8 steals per game, and 2.5 blocks per game.
Where Does Donovan Clingan Rank in the Upcoming Fantasy Basketball Season?
Clingan is ranked 79th overall and 16th at his position. The five players ranked ahead of him overall include Mikal Bridges, Onyeka Okongwu, Payton Pritchard, Anfernee Simons, and Bennedict Mathurin.
The five players ranked behind him overall include Immanuel Quickley, Tyler Herro, Mark Williams, Jrue Holiday, and Stephon Castle.
The five players ranked ahead of him at his position include Jarrett Allen, Kristaps Porzingis, Deandre Ayton, Myles Turner, and Okongwu.
The five players ranked behind him at his position include Williams, Nicolas Claxton, Naz Reid, Kel’el Ware, and Isaiah Hartenstein.
