The Trail Blazers have locked in the next step for both of their rookie-scale centers, exercising Donovan Clingan’s fourth-year option and Yang Hansen’s third-year option for the 2027/28 season, the team announced in a press release today.
Clingan has already carved out a major role in Portland. He’s been the Blazers’ starting center since February 2025, and last season he delivered a double-double average across 77 games, putting up 12.1 points and 11.6 rebounds while adding 1.7 blocks per contest. He’s opened this season right where he left off, averaging 9.3 points and 9.0 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per game for the 3-0 Blazers.
The option means Clingan now has a guaranteed $9.55MM salary for 2027/28. He is set to earn about $7.52MM this season, becomes eligible for a rookie scale extension next July, and would enter restricted free agency in 2028 if he doesn’t reach a new deal before then.
Yang’s situation is more developmental as he heads into his second season. The 21-year-old, selected 16th in the 2025 draft, appeared in 43 regular season games as a rookie and averaged 2.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.0 minutes. He logged some garbage-time minutes in Portland’s blowout win over Phoenix last Wednesday, but he hasn’t played in the team’s two games since.
Yang will make $4.64MM this season, and his exercised option gives him a guaranteed $4.86MM salary in 2027/28. Portland will have to make another call a year from now on his $7.46MM option for 2028/29.
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