“ Why did you choose a pivot? Is he replacing me? What does this mean for me? » These are the questions Deandre Ayton was able to ask himself when he saw the Blazers draft Donovan Clinganwho therefore plays in the same position as him.
Instead, when team GM Joe Cronin called him a few hours after this selection, the team's starting center, currently in preparation with his national team in the Bahamas, displayed a different state of mind.
” He was incredibly enthusiastic. He said, 'OK, where can this go?' How can he help me? How can I help him?' His attitude was great in the whole situation. “, reports the manager quoted by The Athletic.
Despite this first positive feedback, this Draft choice raises its share of questions within a team which also counts Robert Williams III and Duop Reath on position 5.
Chauncey Billups, who will attend the Bahamas' match against Finland tomorrow at the opening of their TQO to see his pivot in action, today gives an element of the answer: he plans to experiment with the association between Ayton, shifted to strong winger, and Clingan as pivot.
Depending on the “matchups”
“ I'm willing to try things. Several teams play big, Cleveland, Denver, Memphis… I will try to have (Clingan) and DA together in play. But it depends on who's on the field. Is it Jaren Jackson? Is it Aaron Gordon? Evan Mobley? ” imagines the coach.
The latter, who considers his recruit as the best rim protector of this Draft, adds: ” What I'm not going to do is (Clingan) put in play to defend Jayson Tatum. Or Kevin Durant… It depends on the situation. But I'm telling you, I think the league is going to try to get bigger inside. So I think it's going to be fun. »
The Blazers coach intends to keep the defensive principles displayed last year, based on “drop coverage”, that is to say with a floating interior at the top of the racket. To prevent the screener from opening the circle, while showing himself in front of the outside player to prevent him from going to the circle.
“ He's going to spend a lot of time in the heart of the racket. I think most teams are going to think twice before attacking our racket. It changes everything. », continues Chauncey Billups whose rookie, who prefers a block to a dunk “ any day of the week “, was averaging 2.5 blocks per game this season.
Two men pushed aside in attack
On the other side of the field, the technician wants to encourage Ayton to develop his peripheral game, and why not his 3-point shot. While he tried his luck from far away about 20 times a year in Phoenix, the former Suns player only shot 10 times from behind the arc this season, for only one converted attempt. Much more comfortable at mid-distance, he however converted 55% of his shots from around 5 meters or more.
Donovan Clingan? He has ” surprised, really surprised ” his new coach, during a trial with the Blazers before the Draft, for his ability to convert from the periphery, including 3-pointers. With UConn, however, he only scored 2 of his 9 long-range attempts in two college seasons.
The explanation? He gave me one of the best answers a kid could give me. He told me: 'I just wanted to do what the coach wanted me to do to win.' And for me it's simply a winner “, reports his coach who is already giving the green light to his interior to try his luck.
An option that could become necessary as Portland lacks outside shooters. Last season, the Oregon team finished last in this register with 34.5% 3-point success.
