Notice Clyde Drexler’s stern message to Damian Lillard after CJ McCollum trade & more

If Clyde had Dame's work ethic and leadership we would have had at least one, maybe more championships.

Unfortunately he was soft. Jordan exposed him.

 

No, I don't think this is true at all. Matter of fact it pissed me off at the time when fans wanted to trade him because of this theory. (Before the first trip to the finals)

True Clyde did not like to practice during the season. He played a lot of minutes and did not think it was wise to run a lot during practice. He came out of college with no skill set but dunking. But he worked hard on his game during the offseason and improved every year...until he got old. From year one to year two, he improved drastically. No one could believe it.

What he lacked was a consistent outside jump shot. It was so flat. But he definitely was not soft. He was relentless at attacking the basket. And he was a great rebounder for a guard and he always came to play. He just was not as talented as Michael, but who was?

 

Man, all of this Clyde hate is a bit over the top. The way he has been towards our franchise in retirement sucks and what he said regarding the CJ trade and basically that Dame needs to get out was absolute bullshit. That being said, Clyde is undeniably the superstar that we've had the most sustained success with in the history of the franchise. Yeah, he had the teams around him that made that possible but he was a gigantic part of all of that success. That three season run from the fall of 89' to the summer of 92' is the best stretch this franchise has ever seen.

I get it that Walton and the guys delivered one unforgettable run that gave us our only championship but there was something to really feeling like we were one of the favorites for a few seasons during the peak of the Clyde Drexler era.

Dame is in the process of passing Clyde as the greatest Blazer of all time but along with all of the individual records he's about to overtake, I don't think that argument will be put to bed without a couple of runs to the finals for Dame. The only reason I think there is even a conversation being had right now that Dame is already the best is because Clyde turned his back on us for his hometown but that really doesn't mean anything when it comes to who the best Blazer to ever do it is.

Oh and because of Clyde's lack of involvement with the team since he left, Dame is already my favorite athlete of all time and that has so much to do with who he is combined with how he plays and the level he plays at but just because I like him more doesn't mean he's better.

 

Yeah, I don't hate or dislike Clyde at all. He's a nice guy. But this team did everything possible to get him a title. He has nothing to complain about.

 

Famously so. If he worked as hard as Jordan did we might have beaten the Pistons.

 

Actually the Blazers were BETTER in 1978 until injuries to Bobby Gross, Maurice Lucas and Walton caused that team to implode. Clyde had 4 All-Stars around him and our 2nd best ever coach (I hope Chauncey takes over as #1 some day). Terry Porter was the brains of that team and Kersey and Williams the heart and soul. Clyde was fantastically talented and a joy to watch, but he had far, FAR more support than Walton. My current All-Time list is #1 Walton due to the Championship and then just a hair lower Lillard. Drexler is now ranked #3 and dropping. If he keeps flapping his gums I'm gonna move Porter above him where he probably belongs.

 

I agree here as well.

 

Excellent job of showing just how biased the Clyde haters in here are about what he brought on the floor. Porter wasn't even close to being close to as good as Clyde. Clyde is one of the greatest ever at his position. Terry wasn't even one of the best at his position while he was playing. Yeah, the Clyde hate is totally clouding a lot of people's memories about his greatness.

 

Except he didn't say Porter was as good?

 

Kevin Durant and Karl Malone are/were better players than Clyde but that doesn't mean they aren't jerks. John Stockton was one of the greatest players of all time but he's an ass about vaccines and holds some idiot opinions.

Drexler was one of the best players ever, and his Blazer legacy was huge when he was traded. But, in subsequent years, in later actions, in post Blazer statements, he has tarnished that Blazer legacy in the minds of a lot of Blazer fans. Saying that Dame should demand to be traded is horseshit coming from him

 

I didn't thanks.

Bro I said Terry was the brains (and grit IMO) of that team. I said Kersey was the heart and Williams the soul. If you will Clyde was the body or engine of the team. I'm saying his greatness was high, but he relied heavily on his fantastic gritty teammates, especially the three I mentioned. I have him at #3 all-time favorites for me which is totally subjective and my opinion only. I didn't say who had the best stats, obviously, that's Clyde who was a Superstar of the ages. He's also an asshat since retiring and even dating back to the 50 Greatest players jersey snub. I am NOT saying he's not the all-time greatest stats-wise, though Lillard is coming for that title and soon and not due to longevity, due to greatness.

 

Exactly this.

 

I had you all wrong. If you're just saying who your favorites are, I can't argue that at all. You could have anyone at the top of that list and I definitely couldn't argue it. That being said, there's an argument to be had that Clyde fits anywhere one through three as the greatest Blazer of all time, it just depends on your criteria. Obviously Porter is pretty far down on that list and I don't think that's what you were debating. So sorry for the misunderstanding on my part.

 

No worries. I wasn't as clear as I could have been and mad respect for this post. Some folks can't even admit they misinterpreted someone else. So I appreciate that. For the record I don't hate Clyde and he's the statistically greatest Blazer of all-time. Dame will soon surpass that and they aren't empty stats either. Does Dame have to get to the Finals twice to be better than Drexler? Even though he's never had anything like Drexler's supporting cast or coach? I think there's a strong argument to be made that Dame is already the greatest Blazers, except Walton had crazy efficient stats and was Finals MVP on a championship team. That alone makes him number one in my book. Our sole Superstar on that team carried us to the best run of all-time. I watched Drexler as a 12 to 15 year old absolutely dominate much of the league. I remember his greatness, but I also remember Porter being SUPER clutch. Williams being a defensive and rebounding beast and Kersey and his defense and fast-break skills were just amazing.

 

Opinions on this vary. Yours is noted.

 

The other side of the coin.

 

Clyde's last season in Portland was in 1994 which means any poster less then 40 was a preteen when he left Portland. We've several of those here who constantly post just to get reactions even though they clearly don't know shit, & there is lots of that in this thread. Clyde left at age 32, which is typically the twilight of an NBA player's prime. While he still had some gas left in the tank, he was no longer the dominant force he was at his peak when most every game he was head and shoulders the best player on the court crushing opponent's will night after night. Duck was done, Buck was 34, Porter had been surpassed by Rod Strickland. Like Clyde, Strickland was tremendous at attacking the hoop but lacked a solid J so the spacing/chemistry wasn't nearly as good as it was with Porter running the show. New GM Bob Whitsett had replaced Adelman with irritating college screamer PJ Carlisimo... the end of an era writing was on the wall and everyone knew it.

Clyde liking or not liking to practice during the season is a moot point as guys who played then and now rarely practice much during the regular season as the NBA is a grind. Anyone trying to make a point with that nonsense is revealing themselves to be an idiot.

STOMP

 

Lillard Lane sounds nice.

 

Beat me to it.

 

You swap Dame for Clyde on those teams, moving TP to the off guard and we win in 1990. Dame doesn't let the Bad Boys push us around.