The Portland Trail Blazers locked in both of their young centers on Thursday, with general manager Joe Cronin announcing team options on Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen for 2027-28.
It’s a routine move on paper, but an important one for Portland’s frontcourt outlook. The Blazers now control both contracts for at least two more seasons, giving the organization time to keep developing two big men on very different tracks.
Clingan, the No. 7 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, has already grown into a central piece of the team. He became Portland’s starting center and a defensive anchor down the stretch, then followed that up with a breakout sophomore season. He averaged 12.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, and earned a spot in the NBA Rising Stars game alongside Yang at All-Star weekend.
His production put him near the top of the league in several categories. Clingan led the NBA in offensive rebounds at 4.5 per game and contested shots at 13.4, while finishing third in rebounding and fifth in blocks last season.
He’s off to another strong start this year, averaging 9.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks through three games. His option season in 2027-28 will pay roughly $9.6 million.
Yang’s path has been much slower since Portland surprised plenty of people with him in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. The 7-foot-1 center from China has posted 2.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.5 assists across 44 career games, and a significant chunk of that time has come in the G League.
Portland got the rights to Yang in a draft-night trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, moving from No. 11 to No. 16 and using the pick on him. His 2027-28 option will pay roughly $4.9 million next season.
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Shaedon Sharpe is still expected back around late February to early March, but the fit question is already hard to ignore. His style and shooting profile may not line up cleanly with what Portland is asking from its wings right now, and if the current group keeps humming, the Blazers could be forced to weigh whether Sharpe is part of the long-term picture or a trade chip before he even returns. [Read more 🡒]
Ja Morant Faces His Old Team With Plenty Riding On It
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The timing makes this one feel bigger than a routine early-season reunion. Both Portland and Memphis have opened undefeated, which gives the matchup an edge beyond the personal backstory, and it sets up a night where Morants new start is measured right alongside the team he left behind. For the Blazers, it is a chance to see how their new centerpiece handles a familiar opponent under real pressure, with plenty riding on the first direct look at where both sides stand now. [Read more 🡒]