3 Players Hornets Must Avoid in the NBA Draft with No. 6 Pick

Donovan Clingan, C, Connecticut

The elite defender out of Connecticut, Clingan was one of the best centers in the country last season. In his two seasons in the NCAA, he won two national championships, putting him in rare company in college basketball history. In the 2023-24 season, he averaged 13 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game.

With a massive 7'2 frame and an impressive wingspan, Clingan is certainly an excellent physical specimen. He not only has great size and length, but he also knows how to use it well, consistently shutting off the rim and dominating the paint. He will most likely be an impactful center in the league for a long time.

However, players of Donovan Clingan's profile are just not valuable enough to justify a top-six pick in the draft. As good as he is as a rim protector, Clingan is a limited offensive player who will likely only be used as a rim runner and an offensive rebounder. He doesn't project to have a jump shot or scoring versatility on that end to be a high-usage player.

Due to his lack of speed and athleticism, Clingan will most likely be used in drop coverage. He is never going to be the most versatile of defenders, limiting his scalability at the NBA level. A limited offensive player who can only play one style of defense, regardless of how good you are at that defense, is just not that valuable.

Players like Walker Kessler and Jakob Poeltl come to mind. They are certainly valuable players but not ones that will change the fate of your franchise. Clingan fits that mold.