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Trail Blazers Commit To Clingan And Yang After Ayton Buyout

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The Trail Blazers have pulled the trigger on committing to a young frontcourt by buying out Deandre Ayton’s contract. He had one year left on his deal, but GM Joe Cronin and his staff are making the pivot. They are now focusing on Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen.

Trail Blazers Commit To Clingan And Yang After Ayton Buyout

The Portland Trail Blazers continue to drop bombshells in the 2025 offseason. This time, they are committing to their young centers with a Deandre Ayton contract buyout. He is a fine player, but he did not fit the Blazers’ plans, leading to the Sunday decision.

Ayton would have been in the last year of his deal, but the Blazers believe in Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen. It is a resounding showcase of confidence in the pair of young centers from Cronin and the team. This is a gamble on a potential franchise center in Clingan and a tantalizing talent like Yang.

That leaves Ayton in a bit of a limbo as a free agent. Now, teams must be chasing him, as he will be a low-risk, high-reward player. Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans might be ready to scoop him up.

The Ayton Buyout Means He’ll Get A Chance With Another Team

Now that Ayton is out of Portland, he will be an unrestricted free agent. Most teams felt discouraged due to his previous contract. With that deal out of the way, teams must feel better to chase Ayton’s signature.

As Shams Charania reported, Ayton and his representatives asked for the buyout; he wants to win. The Lakers feel like the most obvious choice for him, as he could benefit as Luka Doncic’s pick-and-roll partner. However, other teams will surely be vying for his services.

He could fit into any system as long as they are aware of his limitations before signing him. Ayton is not a superstar, but he is a good player. He is an underrated offensive player, especially with his reliable mid-range jump shot. As the roll man in the pick-and-roll, he proved himself when he played with Chris Paul.

The Blazers might not have him in their plans, but he was productive when active. He played 95 games for Portland, averaging 15.7 points and 10.7 rebounds. That is still a decent line other teams would love. Ayton will also turn 27 in July, which means he is just entering his physical prime.

Portland Wants To Build Around Clingan And Yang

The Blazers have two promising centers on their roster with Clingan and Yang.  They are still quite young, as Clingan is only 21, while Yang turned 20 a day after the draft. However, they are promising enough for the Blazers to commit to.

Clingan is a defensive monster with his 7’2″ frame and instincts in the paint. He is improving on offense, including a decent three-point shot.  He also has good chemistry with an ever-improving Scoot Henderson, which will factor into Portland’s offense.

On the other hand, Yang is still an unknown commodity, but his highlights look promising. He received comparisons to Nikola Jokic, which are quite ambitious, but he is a high-potential talent.

With these two centers, it was clear the Blazers plan to build around them. They could choose between them in the future, but that is a problem for another day. Now, they feel like these two big men are the future, which should include a Robert Williams III trade. Duop Reath is still on the team, and he will fare better as a third-string center.

With this focus on Clingan, Yang, Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe, the future is bright for Portland. They already dealt Anfernee Simons to Boston, and now, they are parting ways with Ayton. Portland has a forward-thinking mindset now, and they are an overlooked yet dangerous team.

© Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

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