LAS VEGAS — Anybody who watched the NCAA Event is aware of former UConn huge man Donovan Clingan is a feared rim protector. Each hoops fan is aware of Clingan as an old-school huge man who depends on his 7’2″ body to dominate.
Nonetheless, these issues hit completely different once you see him play in particular person — he’s big and an intimidating drive within the paint who can attain a stage solely a handful of different gamers within the NBA can match. Clingan’s protection was all the pieces as marketed throughout his Summer season League debut and he completed with 5 blocked photographs (together with one on faculty teammate Stephon Citadel).
Additionally correct from the pre-draft hype was Clingan’s want to enhance on offense, the place he was 1-of-8 taking pictures, together with 0-of-3 from past the arc.
“I want I nonetheless… protected the rim somewhat higher, I used to be in a position to shoot the ball higher. I simply wasn’t capable of finding my shot right this moment,” Clingan stated.
Clingan’s strengths — protection and on the glass — make him useful to Portland proper now. He’ll come off the bench behind Deandre Ayton at first and provides the Path Blazers an enormous middle mixture.
Nonetheless, for Clingan to succeed in his true potential, he’ll want improved offense and higher conditioning (he was gassed at factors Saturday). The conditioning ought to come shortly, however the offense will probably be a undertaking.
His first Summer season League outing ought to give Path Blazers followers hope — there’s a good, possibly nice, participant in Clingan. One who might be half of what’s being constructed within the Pacific Northwest. He might be the middle of the long run, he is simply received some work to do.
Listed below are another notes from Day 2 of the Las Vegas Summer season League.
• Miami virtually set the document for many factors in a Summer season League recreation.
The document is 120 factors, shared by the 2022 Grizzlies and 2007 Nuggets. Miami beat the Celtics in essentially the most entertaining recreation of the day, 119-114 — it was only a pure shootout. The Warmth had an opportunity on the finish of the sport however could not convert it to set the document.
One fast query for the Warmth: Why is Jaime Jaquez enjoying? He racked up 29/11/5, however what’s he gaining from being right here? It is time to shut him down for the summer time.
• Identical query to Charlotte: No one may work out why the Hornets despatched Brandon Miller to Summer season League. He does not have to be right here, he had 23 factors and eight rebounds, plus shot 5-of-10 from 3. Come on Hornets, shut him down.
• Bulls draft decide Matas Buzelis confirmed flashes, however — like all the excessive draft picks in Las Vegas this 12 months — he is received a number of work to do. Buzelis confirmed off the handles to create area, however his taking pictures is a piece in progress (as was a priority earlier than the draft). He completed with 15 factors on 4-of-15 taking pictures and 0-of-4 from 3. He clearly did not belief that shot, he most popular attacking a closeout to taking pictures the three (he did get to the road 11 occasions.
• The Knicks could have one thing in second-round decide Tyler Kolek out of Marquette. He has incredible courtroom imaginative and prescient and sufficient handles to get to the spot to make the cross, plus only a good really feel for the sport. He completed with seven assists — and would have had much more with teammates who may end (welcome to Summer season League, Tyler) — to go together with seven factors and 7 rebounds. It was straightforward for stretches to see him as a second-unit level guard.
The questions on the draft, the explanation he fell to the second spherical (No. 34), had been about his protection. He received blown by just a few occasions on this recreation, and if that retains occurring Tom Thibodeau will not be about to place him on the courtroom. He is received a assured contract so Kolek will probably be on the Knicks this season and we’ll see if he can carve out a job.
• Hornets No. 6 decide Tidjane Salaun was as marketed —he’s a protracted, fluid athlete, and you may see the potential upside on a few of his drives and the boldness he performs with. He has the bodily items you possibly can’t educate.
It is also clear how far he has to go, for instance taking pictures 0-of-3 from 3 (however 3-of-4 contained in the arc). Salaun is a long-term play however seems to be like a man definitely worth the roll of the cube by the Hornets.
• Dunk of the day goes to Bucks second-year participant Andre Jackson Jr., who anticipated the MarJon Beauchamp miss and timed the putback dunk completely.
• Until this late-game breakaway dunk by the 76ers tops it:
• Pistons second-round decide Bobi Klintman may very well be a second-round steal. It is one Summer season League recreation, however he impressed with 13 factors (3-of-7 from 3), plus 5 assists and 5 rebounds.
“I deliver a number of versatility,” Klintman stated. “I can guard a number of positions, play at a number of positions, knock-down taking pictures, can transfer off the ball, make others higher on the group.”
The fluid athleticism was on show in Vegas, as was the maturity of a man who performed towards males in Australia final season and never faculty — he dealt with the pace and physicality of Summer season League nicely.
Let’s have a look at how that interprets in future video games and in coaching camp, but it surely was a promising begin and you may see why the Pistons signed him to a four-year, $8 million contract (the primary two years are assured).
