Will LaMarcus have had the second best Blazer career in franchise history? Clyde is clearly the #1 Blazer. But this will be LaMarcus' 8th season and his third all-star game. Maurice Lucas only played 3 seasons with the team. Roy was much better for his first 3 years but then his knee gave out. Walton had the single best season of any Blazer but was injured the other years. Perhaps the best case could be made for Rasheed although he only made two all-star games and was traded during his 8th Blazer season. Rasheed led two teams deep into the playoffs.
Aldridge has been a fine player, but there has never been a Blazer as dominant as Bill Walton. Not even Clyde at his very best. The brevity of his career was sad, but when he was healthy, he was one of the greatest centers to ever play the game. I mean in the same breath as Wilt, Russell, Kareem and Shaq.
a question like this is subjective... posters will define what best career means in different ways. Someone putting Aldridge #2 values total stats and longevity. Adding another All Star year of solid all around play would certainly cement his place among the best Blazers ever, but it's hard to trump the franchises lone championship. I'd put Walton's injury marred but brilliant Blazer career above LA's. I'm valuing moments of true greatness over very good n healthy. STOMP
Rasheed is the fourth best Blazer ever behind Walton, Clyde, and Porter. He got us to the WCF twice, excelling on both sides of the court.
LaMarcus has played 7 seasons; Blazers who've played more; Clyde 11.5 Kersey 11 Porter 10 Larry Steele 9 Jim Paxson 8.5 Cliff 8 Mychal Thompson 8 Sheed 7.5 Damon 7.5 Pryz 7.5
Clyde, Bill, Porter, Sheed ... all of those guys had a much bigger impact on the team's success. Individual honors are nice, but never being dominant enough to get your team past the first round diminishes his career here somewhat (not that all of it is his fault).
Mychal Thompson was the same height and build, could play center and defense better, rebounded like he should, and was so much smarter. Aldridge is like Shaq. The results are tiny compared to the talent.
I get your point, but I have to take it out of context, because I think this might be the first time I have anyone in the history of mankind has ever typed/spoken that sentence right there. As for the topic at hand, I don't think a 6'11" PF/C with a career 7.8 rpg should be considered the second best Trail Blazer in the team's 33 year history. C'mon... ya'll have won an NBA title, not to mention three conference and four division titles. The guy's got some All-Star nods... cool. That's a pretty desultory way to go about determining your all-time "great" players though. Also, this is all assuming he does get that third All-Star nod, which if I had an option in Vegas, I'd bet at least a modest bit of dough against. That's not Aldridge hate, but if the Trail Blazers surprise everyone and are in that #1-6 range come the ASG break, wouldn't Lillard probably be the likely nod? Really, with the way the West is shaping up next year, a lot of stars would really have to align to even make this thread practical, and even if they did, I'd still say no, he has not had "the second best Blazer career in franchise history."
As an aside, where would ya'll rank Lionel Hollins as a Blazer? I hated him as a head coach in his later years with my Grizz, but he was a hell of a player in his Blazers days... All-Star, PG on the '77 champs, etc. That was far before my day, but I'm sure, especially on this board, ya'll could give me some insight into his game back in the day. Would you consider Aldridge or Hollins a "better" Blazer?
Walton got Ramsey to install much of the Wooden system, in which guards defer to big men. Walton and Lucas stood out, while Hollins played his role. Aldridge has more talent, but Hollins may have worked harder.
Pretty sure it would be LA getting the nod if he puts up 21/8 again unless Lillard has some insane stats. When talking about all-stars you have to give the nod to the teams best player and former all-star. I'm not sure how many people would realistically think that just because LA would have 3 all-star appearances, if he makes it next year, he would deserve to be ranked higher then the likes of Drexler/Porter/Walton/Sheed/Kersey. LA would need to take the Blazers to the Finals to even be considered third imo (Walton/Drexler 1/2 of course).
Even if you don't include Walton or Luke, I don't see how LMA compares favorably to Porter or Sheed. I would probably put him above Kersey. BTW, Lucas in his 3.5 years in Portland had 3 all-stars, 2 all-defensive teams, an all-NBA 2nd team and a Championship in a pear tree.
As others have said Walton was the best Blazers ever. In a championship game he set the record for rebounds with 20 then the next game he duplicated it. In the final game of the finals he had 20 points, 23 rebounds, 7 assists and 8 blocks! What other Blazers had that type of numbers let alone during a finals clinching game.
Walton is by far the best Blazer ever. I have watched almost all the Blazers games from the first game of season one and there isn't anybody even close IMHO. I think LMA is a good but Clyde, Luke, Porter, Kersey and Walton were all better. There are a few other players like Sheed, Hollins etc that I see LMA close to the same level.
If you think LMA has more talent the Walton you never watched Walton play. There isn't any comparison and I'm a big LMA fan.
I haven't commented because I haven't watched him play. I was old enough to watch Walton; but I wasn't a basketball fan then. I am a firm believer of the sight test, so I will take everyone that watched him to heart. What I can tell you is Aldridge has the tools to be one of the best big men ever to play in a blazer uniform; but he's gotta get us to at least the finals.
Walton was the best for one season but he was injured the other years I don't understand how he is ever in any discussion about a Blazers career.
