Deandre Ayton a Blazers trade candidate if Donovan Clingan goes No. 7

On paper, Ayton’s numbers from his first season in Portland look pretty solid.

He averaged 16.7 points and 11.1 rebounds per game while shooting 57 percent from the floor and 82.3 percent from the free-throw line. However, he wasn’t quite as good as his statistics may indicate.

First of all, it took Ayton a while to get going for the Blazers. At the All-Star break, he was posting just 13.8 points and 10.4 boards a night over 37 games. Yes, he was much better afterward, registering 22.7 points and 12.5 rebounds per game after the break, but that was only an 18-game period.

Second, Ayton had difficulty staying healthy, appearing in just 55 contests. This is nothing new for Ayton, who has played 70 games just once in his career, but this was his worst campaign in terms of availability in four years.

Ayton also did not get to the charity stripe, averaging a career-low 1.4 free throws per game. Additionally, he logged a career-worst .106 win shares per 48 minutes, and he took a fairly significant step back defensively.

Finally, it doesn’t really help Ayton’s case that his game does not translate all that well to the modern era, particularly on the offensive end. He doesn’t space the floor, he isn’t great at getting himself open on pick-and-rolls and he also isn’t much of a facilitator.

Not that Clingan is a major all-around threat offensively, but, at the very least, he would come a lot cheaper than Ayton early on. Ayton is slated to earn a tick over $34 million next season and will be earning $35.6 million in 2025-26, which is a pretty big price for a big man who doesn’t really affect the game in a variety of ways.

So, was it that Ayton was a disappointment his first season in Portland? Or is this just who he really is?

It’s a combination of both.

Ayton’s skillset is his skillset regardless of where he plays. However, there is no doubt that Ayton saw a dropoff in production from his Suns days. That may have to do with the personnel around him, or it just may simply mean he isn’t all that great.

Would any team give up anything of value for Ayton and his salary? It remains to be seen, but the idea of the Blazers moving on from Ayton is certainly feasible, especially if they end up selecting Clingan in the draft next month.