How does Donovan Clingan fit into the current Blazers system?

Something I wanted to discuss is Donovan Clingan. First of all, the improvement he’s made year over year is really impressive. His ability to play longer minutes, his improved mobility, and just how much better he moves overall. He’s a really good player. I don’t want this to sound like I’m criticizing him as if he’s not elite, because he is. He’s an elite rebounder and rim protector. My focus here is more on his fit within the Blazers’ current system.

Right now, the new Blazers offense is built around pace, running the floor, and attacking the rim. The issue with Donovan, even with his improved mobility this year, is that he’s still not the most mobile center. A fast-paced, transition-heavy system doesn’t really play to his strengths.

The second issue I’ve noticed is his offensive limitations, which can create spacing problems for the Blazers. A lot of teams are simply sagging off him, daring him to shoot from the perimeter. If he doesn’t take those shots, the opposing center can stay in the paint and clog things up. And since the Blazers don’t have many reliable three-point shooters, it becomes even harder to score efficiently in half-court situations. You see it often, with guys like Deni driving into traffic, sometimes against three defenders, because the paint is packed.

Looking ahead, what’s the plan with Donovan? Can he develop a more consistent three-point shot and become a Brook Lopez type of big? Or at least expand his offensive game enough to force defenders to respect him and think twice before helping on drives?

And then there’s the question of fit in the Blazers’ running system. We’ve already seen moments, like in the recent game against Denver, where he didn’t play in the closing minutes. Thiago Splitter opted for a small-ball lineup to keep the pace up. So I’m just curious about the long-term vision here: how does Donovan Clingan fit into the Blazers’ system, both now and in the future?