It's still unclear how long the Charlotte Hornets intend to roll out a center rotation of Moussa Diabate, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Mason Plumlee. Perhaps the reason they didn't chase after free agents who could have shored up their big man depth was that they would rather pick up someone whose age aligns with the core pieces. In that case, the Hornets should definitely monitor the Donovan Clingan development on the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Blazers shocked some folks around the league when they drafted Yang Hansen after trading down from the No. 11 spot to No. 16. There's a belief that it was a reach for the squad to pick up the Chinese youngster that early. What made it more surprising was that they had several centers on the roster at the time, including Clingan.
However, Hansen turned in an impressive Summer League stint, highlighting his potential to be the club's long-term starter at the five. He was even dubbed the Chinese Nikola Jokic and received the "superstar" label from his veteran teammate Jrue Holiday.
With Portland seemingly taking a gamble on Hansen, the question is how Clingan, its No. 7 pick in last year's draft, fits into the picture. The second-year pro ended the 2024-25 season as the team's starting center, but it might not be long before he gives that role up.
What will likely happen is that the Blazers will try to assess the fit between the two young centers and maybe even attempt to put them on the floor together. However, if they hand the keys to Hansen and want to swap Clingan for better-fitting players, Charlotte might want to explore going after the 21-year-old pivot.
Donovan Clingan could be what Hornets need
Interestingly, the Hornets could have brought in Clingan last year but instead selected the more unproven Tidjane Salaun with the sixth overall pick. The University of Connecticut product didn't give them a strong reason to regret the snub, though, as he had an uneven rookie campaign. He did make the All-Rookie Second Team, while Salaun didn't even receive a single vote, so there's that.
Still, Clingan showed great potential to be an elite rim protector, averaging 3.0 blocks per 36 minutes, and rebounder, particularly on the offensive side. He also shot the ball efficiently and proved that he could extend his range to 3-point land, although he sank just 28.6 percent of his attempts from downtown.
The two-time NCAA champion would certainly be an intriguing fit with the Hornets, especially since he looks like a low-maintenance guy who doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective.
However, the Blazers are probably going to demand a hefty package for Clingan. If so, the Hornets might be better off banking on the development of Diabate and Kalkbrenner rather than breaking the bank looking for a long-term solution at the center position outside the organization.