Donovan Clingan Hailed as a Steal by Blazers Fans After Going No. 7 in 2024 NBA Draft

The Portland Trail Blazers did not have to trade up in the 2024 NBA Draft to secure their defensive stalwart of the future.

The Blazers were able to use the No. 7 pick Wednesday night to draft 7-foot-2 big man Donovan Clingan out of UConn.

Clingan will head to Portland after ranking eighth among DI players with 2.46 blocks per game during the Huskies' second straight championship season.

By selecting Clingan after trading with the Washington Wizards for forward Deni Avdija, the Blazers have improved their defense in a matter of hours.

Avdija will arrive in Portland after averaging a career-high 7.2 rebounds per contest for the Wizards during the 2023-24 campaign.

Both he and Clingan will be able to provide much-needed size on the Blazers' defense. Portland is looking to recover from ranking among the bottom three teams in the NBA with an average of 19.1 opponent points off turnovers allowed per game last season.

Blazers fans anticipate that Avdija and Clingan will help Scoot Henderson, Portland's No. 3 pick of the 2023 draft, further develop his offense next season.

Henderson averaged 14.0 points per game in his rookie season, and fans are hoping Clingan can boost his scoring with more effective screens next season.

Clingan and Henderson, alongside 2022 No. 7 pick Shaedon Sharpe, are furthering Blazers fans' hope their team will be able to further build around this young core.

After moving the No. 14 pick as part of the deal for Avdija, the Blazers select next with No. 34 in the second round.

With Sharpe and Henderson already in the fold, and Avdija and Clingan joining the team Wednesday, the Blazers are well on their way to beginning their first full rebuild of the post-Damian Lillard era.