Deandre Ayton DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (calf) has been ruled out for at least four weeks. He suffered a left calf strain in Monday's contest against the Denver Nuggets. This is a bitter blow for Ayton, who has performed well in 2025. Donovan Clingan will take over from Ayton as the starting center in Wednesday's rematch against the Nuggets. The 7-foot-2 rookie has averaged 6.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks in 22.1 minutes as a starter. Robert Williams III (knee) might also see increased usage during Ayton's absence; however, health issues have restricted him to just eight appearances since the beginning of the year, and Williams III is currently out of the lineup due to right knee soreness.

Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (calf) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Denver Nuggets. Ayton sustained a left calf strain against the Nuggets on Monday and will have to sit out Wednesday's rematch because of the injury. Donovan Clingan is set to slide into the starting unit, with Robert Williams III potentially seeing more action off the bench if he can play. The team has listed Williams III as questionable. Following a quiet spell, Clingan tallied 21 points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes on Monday.

Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (knee) has been upgraded to available ahead of Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Ayton is back in the mix following a three-game absence due to left knee soreness. There is no word on Ayton being limited, so the expectation is that he'll have his normal workload on Tuesday. His return to the court should shift Donovan Clingan back to the bench. Clingan should see reduced playing time which will make him a less appealing fantasy option. Fantasy managers should go ahead and get Ayton active in their lineups ahead of Tuesday's tip-off.