This piece is for Remembering Some Guys, players who shaped our interest in the sport. Players here spark possibilities, whether through unrealistic pathways or unusual playing styles. Sometimes it’s important to sit back and cherish.

Emiliano – Jonathon Simmons

A barber impacted my vision of basketball.

It sounds weird, right?

Jonathon Simmons‘ story is an example of perseverance. After a vagabond collegiate career ended with Houston, being talented in haircutting, he considered attending barber school and getting a barber license. But he gave basketball a last shot and paid the $150 fee to attend the Austin Toros’ local tryout. He shined among the 60 participants and from there started the rise that brought him onto an NBA court after two seasons in the then D-League.

There’s a particular Regular Season game that stuck with me and made me realize how great his journey was: the Spurs win at the Oracle Arena on the 2016-17 opening night. Simmons had 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists and put his explosiveness on full display. I vividly remember his LeBron-esque chase-down block on Stephen Curry in transition and the poster on JaVale McGee with 5 seconds left, his autograph on the game. He clearly was never a prodigious player but he was a spark of energy and athleticism for an aging team like those Spurs.

Jonathon Simmons was probably the first player that made me realize the game isn’t just about the brighter stars, he made me appreciate the G League, its stories of success, and the guys that are trying to overcome difficulties and beat the odds. The NBA and sports in general (especially in the past) have accustomed us to a superheroic narration of players but even a barber can change things.

Charlie Cummings – Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

The artist formerly known as Chris Jackson is a trendsetter across multiple sports, and you may have never even heard of him.

His on-the-floor impact was secondary to his off-the-floor exploits. After beginning his career in the NBA, Jackson converted to Islam and changed his name to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf a la Lew Alcindor/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This was the first big public step he made in a profoundly impactful life outside of just playing basketball.

Abdul-Rauf was the first player in the NBA to protest the National Anthem, refusing to participate in what he believed was oppressive behavior and choosing to instead recite an Islamic prayer during the anthem. For his courage, the NBA fined and suspended him, and effectively blackmailed him into stopping this very peaceful protest. It’s a conveniently forgotten instance of the league, which now openly embraces such protests, putting down a man for what he believed in. Considering what we know now, was he so wrong to say he felt oppressed just by the sight of the United States flag?

His public stances earned him nothing but ire from the public. Not only did his employer actively disagree and try to shut him down, but local radio jockeys in Denver went into a mosque and blared the Star-Spangled Banner (trash song, does not bang) as a retort to Mahmoud. After his career ended, MAR moved back to his home in Mississippi. After a time, his home was burned down in what was ruled an arson. Though suspects were not formally charged, KKK graffiti painted on the house previous to the burning strongly points to a culprit. In a stunning turn of events, the Mississippi police did not prosecute themselves in favor of a Black Islamic man. Yet he never relented in his convictions. Very few people would refuse to fold in the face of such danger and criticism, but Mahmoud did.

Though certainly not a footnote, Abdul-Rauf also openly struggled with Tourette’s Syndrome. Not only did he take his diagnosis in stride, he said it empowered him to be better. A truly inspirational human being in every sense of the word.

On the floor, the man was flat-out dynamic. For a time he was one of the most electric offensive players in the league, with blinding speed and a lethal pull-up jumper. Proto-Steph Curry comparisons have been drawn, and they are reasonable when you see the hell he put Michael Jordan through (yes, that Michael Jordan) trying to keep pace:

If Mahmoud had played in an era of increased offensive spacing and encouragement to shoot from deep, who knows how high his star would have risen? But regardless of hypotheticals, in this house, we acknowledge Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf as one of the most important players of all time.

Now, go watch Stand.

Corban Ford – Monta Ellis

Just over a decade ago, on the afternoon of December 29th, 2012, one man stood in front of assembled cameras pre-game, and not only boldly compared himself favorably to an arguable top-5 shooting guard of all time, but then cemented his comments by informing the captive media audience that, aside from a few little championship rings and a couple of scoring titles, it was really he who “have it all”.

Folks made fun of that line almost the minute it left that player’s mouth, and it only got worse late that year in the playoffs, when his Milwaukee Bucks were swept with ruthless efficiency by the Miami Heat, behind Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, (that shooting guard that sparked the comparison in the first place) and Chris Bosh. Suffice it to say it didn’t age well. Say “have it all” to a person who knows NBA history and they will probably offer a chuckle. Say it to me and I will know you mean the great Monta Ellis without a moment’s hesitation. And I won’t think it’s a laughing matter.

Sure, the lack of all-star appearances and championships don’t look super great in retrospect, and sure, maybe he was more a “top 10 shooting guard of the 2010s” than he was “top 10 shooting guard ever”, but Monta Ellis to me epitomized what it means to play basketball your style and lay it all out there, warts and all, unapologetically (setting the stage for my Russell Westbrook love later), while also being confident enough (and maybe even slightly delusional enough) to strut your stuff and put your game right up against anyone’s.

With that being said, Ellis was no scrub. The man has career averages of 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists over nearly 850 games. He was a key component of the 2007 “We Believe” Warriors squad, he had a fun season suited up alongside Brandon Jennings with the Milwaukee Bucks, and he also had some memorable years assuming the primary scoring option responsibility alongside an aging Dirk Nowitzki on some fun Dallas Mavericks units in 2014 and 2015. He was electric in transition, could get hot from mid-range (and occasionally from deep), and did just enough playmaking that you could run him at the point and not feel horrible about your offense’s prospects.

Yes, Ellis wasn’t the best shooter from long range (career 31% from three). Defense was…well let’s just say it was a word Ellis knew, and he lost his fastball very quickly once he left Dallas as his nuclear athleticism faded. Also no, he was in fact no Dwyane Wade, not in 2012 or in the years following. He doesn’t have a hall of fame resume, and it’s easy to down his efficiency numbers and lack of playoff success. I don’t care. Ellis showed me that basketball can be played in a different way than the consensus might suggest, and that is fine. This wonderful game is big enough for all styles to fit in. And yes, in my opinion, Monta really did have it all. And that, my friends, is good enough for me.

@BeyondTheRK – Mickael Pietrus

Who is the greatest role player in Orlando Magic history?

Guarding Kobe Bryant in the NBA Finals after singlehandedly outscoring LeBron’s Cavs’ bench 83-66 for an entire playoff series, Mickael Pietrus was the ideal role player for that 2009 Orlando Magic team, solidifying D&3 on the wing coveted by Head Coach Stan Van Gundy and General Manager Otis Smith around the unstoppable Hedo Turkoglu – Dwight Howard pick and roll with Richard Lewis lurking beyond the arc and Jameer Nelson getting his buckets in between.

Pietrus’s profound perimeter defense, high-volume three-point floor spacing, and dynamic rim-attacking dribble drive dunking ability brought clean balance to the two-way force of the rotation.


Mickael offered strong, smart wing defense with length, quickness, and timing to help him guard any position 1-3 and even some small fours, the ability to knock down an open three on the other end, and enough handle to create a little wiggle room on his own.

Air France showed up on the biggest stage.

Against Kobe’s Lakers in the NBA Finals, Pietrus guarded Bryant tight, making the game slightly tougher than normal, contesting tough jumper after tough jumper.

When the Magic beat the Lakers in Game 3, Mickael Pietrus combined with Rafer Alston, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, and Dwight Howard to score 78 PTS on 63% FG%, setting the NBA Finals FG% record at the time for a half as a team (75% FG%) in Orlando’s first individual NBA Finals game victory in the team’s franchise history.

Against LeBron’s Cavs, Pietrus outscored the entire Cleveland bench himself over an entire playoff series 83-66! Over those six games, Mickael launched six threes a game, posted a super efficient 51-47-75 shooting line, finished paint-and-spray kickout good ball movement opportunities off Dwight post-ups and Hedo/Rafer drive and kicks in pick and roll, specializing on the three balls, corner pocket.

Pietrus quickly won over Magic fans by making life difficult for the opposing team’s best players, throwing down high-flying highlight jams while contesting Kobe in the Finals and splashing in threes against Paul Pierce’s Celtics and LeBron James’ Cavs for epic photo opportunities on Orlando’s route to the Finals, featuring my phone background for most of high school:

A rookie 11th pick drafted to fill an immediate role, Courtney Lee won the starting 2-guard job during that 2009 Finals run, bringing good feel, coachability, and fundamentally sound two-way team-first play, someone who could pick up opposing guards and hit catch and shoot threes.

Yet, Mickael remained a more dynamic option off the bench; the 26-year-old was closer to his athletic prime, flashing more north-south burst and vertical leaping ability, while still stretching the floor from deep and offering similarly sound defense against the other team’s best perimeter player.

In the 2008-09 regular season, Lee played 25.2 minutes per game (MPG) over 77 games, starting 42 of them; Pietrus played 24.6 MPG over 54 games, starting 25 of them.

Lee shot 40% 3P% on 2.6 3PA, Pietrus knocked down 36% 3P% on 4.1 3PA.

Both shot around 47.5% on 2s and scored around 9 points per game while defending the other team’s best guard or wing with positional versatility as two 6’6” wings who impact the game with top-notch defense first, catch-and-shoot threes second, and attacking closeouts third.

In the playoffs that year, the rookie Lee played 26.2 minutes per game, starting 16 of 21 outings, yet shot only 27% 3P% on 2 3PA, while the 6th-year player Pietrus averaged 25.8 minutes, starting 0 of 24 contests, and hit a blazing 38% 3P% on 4 3PA.

Air France embodied the heart of this Magic team, filling a role an inexperienced squad needed at the time. Pietrus wins fans over at every stop with his exciting NBA Jam style of play.

Consistent energy, dynamic athleticism, two-way impact with shooting confidence, and feathery floor-spacing touch is exciting at every level of basketball.

Spending the first five seasons of his career in Golden State, Mickael played a part in another special one-year flash-in-the-pan run in NBA history.

In 2005-06, the Dallas Mavericks made the NBA Finals, a team led by Dirk Nowitzki that lost to D Wade’s Heat. In the 2006-07 playoffs the following year, that Mavs team earned the #1 seed in the regular season, yet ended up being knocked out in the first round, becoming the third #1 seed ever to lose to an #8 seed in a playoff series.

The “We Believe” Warriors earned their name off the two-way toughness and thrilling up-and-down play of Baron Davis, Monte Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Andris Biedrins and Al Harrington leading a Golden State team to the playoffs and becoming the third eighth-seed in NBA history to eliminate a first-seed in the playoffs, following the Denver Nuggets in 1994 and the New York Knicks in 1999.

These late 2000 Magic teams featured four former We Believe Warriors: Adonal Foyle, Jason Richardson, Matt Barnes, and Mickael Pietrus

In an always riveting game of “name some guys”, there are tons of fun options for the greatest Orlando Magic role player.

Rafer Alston showed up in the right place at the right time, filling in for an injured Jameer while unlocking even more playmaking, defense and three-point shooting for a team that couldn’t have enough of it around one of those dominant inside forces game of basketball has ever seen in prime Dwight with the ace up the sleeve of an unstoppable halfcourt set when Hedo and Dwight would run the two-man game.

JJ Redick, Ryan Anderson, J Rich, and Q Rich all brought fan-favorite floor-spacers, with The Polish Hammer Marcin Gortat going from the best backup big in the league to a high-paid rim-rolling starter. Bo Outlaw, Darrell Armstrong, Pat Garrity, and 3D Dennis Scott are some early fan favorites.

There’s just something about the swaggering confidence that Air France plays with, his dynamic ability to look like he belongs on that court with any star at any time because he could affect the opposing star defensively, stretch the floor for his team from deep, and create his own shot when needed by attacking closeouts with the dribble drive vertical attack dunking at the rim and soft touch on short-range pull-ups.

Mickael Pietrus is a fan favorite at every stop because he does the little things that fans appreciate: hustle, heart, dunks, and threes; exciting two-way play that helps his team on both ends.

Lucas Kaplan – Vince Carter

When the Toronto Raptors finally, rightfully, welcomed Vince Carter back after a decade of animus in 2014, it was a true watershed moment for NBA sentimentalists, the kind an ever-algorithmed league is now less capable of producing. It was fantastic. It also slightly annoyed 14-year-old Lucas.

I was already, frequently, the lone Nets fan amid a sea of blue and orange. I grew up and went to school within walking distance of MSG, but my father, for various reasons, had abandoned his lifelong Knicks fandom by then. I was a free agent, and the New Jersey Nets were also on local television.

As best I can tell, the current mainstream narrative of Vince Carter’s career tends to emphasize his burst onto the scene in Toronto – the dunk contest! – and his career eventually unfolding across an NBA eon, his 22 seasons the most ever. But what happened in between? Well, he was a Net, and a great one at that, a 24/6/5 guy who rose to 26/7/6 in the playoffs.

Unfortunately, there’s no reason to reflect on Carter’s Nets career all that much. Yes, the epic posterization of Alonzo Mourning, who VC punched as often as the sun rises, lives on. But those Jersey teams are justly remembered* for their back-to-back early 2000s Finals runs that came prior to Carter’s arrival. Nothing all that memorable happened with VC as a Net – they won a couple of playoff series with a shallow roster in a weak-but-not-weak-enough Eastern Conference.

*as much as New Jersey Nets teams can be remembered

So I, only a Nets fan because Vince Carter was on local television hitting long-range bombs and dunking on people in 2006, as opposed to whatever Eddy Curry and the Knicks were doing at the same time, was just a tad bit dismayed when the Raptors honored him. Carter was my hero. If Raptors fans didn’t appreciate him, and the Nets would always be Jason Kidd’s franchise thanks to an era I was too young for, then Vinsanity would only be truly special for me.

Obviously, much has happened over the last 15 years. I am no longer eight years old. Besides playing it, my relationship with basketball has been more recently been influenced by the talent boom of the pace-and-space era that really got me into loving hoop – like, wanting to know how teams could defend a pick-and-roll – that culminated with those 2016 Finals, a collective point of demarcation.

Part of me is hesitant to revisit those Carter years that began it all. I don’t want to acknowledge the ceiling-defining limitations of his game, a handle just a bit too sloppy, decision-making just a hair too slow. I don’t want to remind myself how putrid those Nets rosters were outside of Kidd, Carter, and Richard Jefferson, my first Big Three. 

And then I remember that being right doesn’t matter, especially in basketball, a concept my eight or 14-year-old self, who were both sure Vince Carter was simply the best, would scoff at. It’s a concept I still have to remind myself of, and VC helps me do that. There is inextricable beauty in the way New Jersey Vince combined athleticism and hand-eye coordination, the way he floated through the air and tossed up finger-rolls and hook shots from a bygone era. In his best moments, Carter looked like a Monstar that had perfected basketball; they looked simultaneously impossible and effortless.

Deeeep threes and clutch moments, of which there were many, are what I will most remember from Carter’s time as a Net. And he often combined those two traits, especially when facing his former team in Toronto, where he was the most hated player of any NBA fanbase, ever; until LeBron’s Decision:

The most hated man in the NBA going back to enemy territory and doing that! Could you imagine the years of content-baiting and endless discussions centered around those moments if a star did that today?! Perhaps the truly seasoned NBA fans will remember those killshots like the back of their hand, but to me, it feels like they’re on the verge of getting lost in history. I can’t let that happen. For the first time in a long time, I realize that Vince Carter the New Jersey Net was special, and not just to me.

The players who made you fall in love with basketball will always matter, and it’s honorable to preserve their legacies. Why else do we invest all this time and energy? Just don’t tell us what made them the best. Tell us what made them special.

Corey Rausch – Rasheed Wallace

Rasheed Wallace was ahead of his time. Not just because he embodied personality and gave us the ubiquitous “Ball Don’t Lie.” The floor spacing big man was something that the league was not truly ready for. When someone like Dirk Nowitzki, an obvious contemporary, went to the outside he was incorrectly labeled as soft. No one would dare say something similar about Sheed.

From 2001-2009, Wallace attempted 3.9 triples per game and shot 34.8 percent. While that is certainly paltry by today’s standards, it was revolutionary at the time. Even better, once he arrived in Detroit, it was his unique game that springboarded the team into the title they would win that season. Yes, they had Chauncey Billups’ shotmaking, Ben Wallace generational defense, and Tayshaun Prince all-time block. But Sheed was the final piece. He could play elite defense but still fit next to Wallace on the offensive end.

After he arrived in Detroit the Pistons posted the best defensive rating in the league by more than seven full points per 100 possessions. It was unfair. But everything about Rasheed Wallace was. He had to give a little of it back with all of the technicals he earned (317, third most of all time). Somehow though, you could never be mad at him for it.

Wallace changed the vision of what a star could be for me. It did not have to be scoring, though he was more than capable. He was a stout defender, a strong rebounder, and a valued teammate. But the numbers rarely mattered. He was there to pick his spots, hold others accountable, and win. The team posted a 289-147 (66.3 winning percentage). Every time a big shoots from behind the arc, “SHEEEEEED” still rings out in my head.

Josh Url – Muggsy Bogues

I was the short kid until my sophomore year. While I literally looked up at most people I didn’t really “look up” to many. Except for Muggsy Bogues

Muggsy Bogues was the shortest player in NBA history at just 5’3” yet he played for 14 seasons!

He is the reason I love passing and defense. He is the reason I think the highly unlikely is not impossible. He is the reason I love basketball.

Matt Powers – Jamaal Tinsley

While basketball has been a lifelong passion of mine, that has not always included the NBA. But a few players along the way had an impact that exceeded that of the sport. Despite being already mostly forgotten as a zero-time All-Star without a ring, perhaps no player has been more meaningful to me than Jamaal Tinsley.

The creative side of basketball has its champions like Magic and Nash, but I am convinced Tinsley has as good of a passing vision as any. At only a listed (and unlikely) 6’3’’ and lacking a consistent outside shot (career 30% from three, less than 1 per game), Tinsley was able to start 400 games at point guard for mostly successful teams. He compensated for his limitations not just with creativity, but weaponized creativity. He combined table-setting with advantage-seeking like no one I’d seen before, particularly thriving in the chaos of transition or on broken plays.

Tinsley seemed capable of anything, putting up mega stat lines like a 12-point, 15 assist, 9 rebound, 6 steal, 5 block game and a 19 point, 23 assist, 11 rebound, and 5 turnover game in his first month as a rookie. I was hooked. The possibility of this single player, unimpressive in stature but able to access any angle to get past the giants, meant I no longer knew the limits of what was possible on the court. I treasure the uniqueness of personality expression on the basketball court, with every player ultimately also expressing themselves within the artistry of the game. Tinsley made sure I never forget that.

The post ROUNDTABLE: Remembering Some NBA Guys appeared first on Swish Theory.

A General Manager in the NBA is a subtly complex title, with an array of duties that are much deeper than they appear at first glance. Although the job requires a serious level of basketball acumen, there is also a human element that is important to take into consideration as well. Both factors are needed, but are not mutually exclusive.

Unfortunately, being a great human is not necessarily a recipe for long-term success in a cutthroat, competitive league unless you can tie it in to the game played on the court. Conversely, merely knowing the game of basketball but not understanding the people aspect of it is also not a game plan for victory. To further explore this particular balance let’s analyze the GM tenure of Bob Whitsitt, who was at the helm of the Portland Trail Blazers from 1994-2003.

Let’s Talk About Bob

 Bob Whitsitt was an executive with extensive experience in the NBA, having worked his way up to the position of assistant general manager of the Indiana Pacers before joining the Kansas City (later Sacramento) Kings as their vice president of marketing. However, it was in Seattle where Whitsitt would truly build a name for himself as President of the Supersonics from the late eighties through the early nineties. Over his eight years at the helm, Whitsitt earned an Executive of the Year award and built the Sonics up to Finals contention. He received the nickname of “Trade Bob” by making *23 trades* along the way. 

He also burned various bridges with the Sonics, ultimately culminating in a messy breakup that had the organization physically remove his television, computer, and fax machine from his office, and necessitating a breakup that was finally negotiated by various lawyers.

Whitsitt sought greener pastures and found them with the Blazers, a team that had been in the NBA Finals just two short years ago and they were a franchise that had an owner in Paul Allen who was willing to spend. 

The roster, however, was on the downside. Clyde Drexler’s numbers were in decline due to a combination of aging and injury. Other key members of the team were also showing a steep drop-off in production across the board, making a return to the Finals unlikely. Faced with a team in transition, Whitsitt immediately went to work with a dizzying array of moves.

The Many Moves of Trader Bob

February 14th, 1995: Traded Clyde Drexler and Tracy Murray to the Houston Rockets for Otis Thorpe, Marcelo Nicola, and a 1995 1st round draft pick (Randolph Childress was later selected).

Whitsitt moved on from the Blazers’ old guard with almost callous efficiency, trading Drexler to the Rockets while leaving Jerome Kersey unprotected in the expansion draft for the Toronto Raptors to pick up. In yet another bold move geared towards starting over, Whitsitt outright released long-time point guard Terry Porter.

June 28, 1995: Traded a 1995 1st round draft pick (Randolph Childress was later selected), a 1995 1st round draft pick (Theo Ratliff was later selected), and a 1995 2nd round draft pick (Don Reid was later selected) to the Detroit Pistons for a 1995 1st round draft pick (Shawn Respert was later selected).

June 28, 1995: Selected Shawn Respert (1st round, 8th pick) in the 1995 NBA Draft.

June 28, 1995: Traded Shawn Respert to the Milwaukee Bucks for Gary Trent and a 1997 1st round draft pick (Paul Grant was later selected).

September 20, 1995: Traded Otis Thorpe to the Detroit Pistons for Randolph Childress and Bill Curley.

In the span of four months, Whitsitt selected Childress (the first-round pick he received for Drexler) traded him to the Pistons for a 1st rounder that became Shawn Respert, traded Respert on the same night, and then finally shipped Otis Thorpe to Detroit for…..Childress again. I wish I were kidding.

Content with the initial influx of transactions, Whitsitt laid back as the Blazers, led by Clifford Robinson, Harvey Grant, and Rod Strickland, had a competitive season, finishing 6th in the Western Conference and taking the Utah Jazz to a deciding fifth and final game in the first round before bowing out. That offseason, Whitsitt would begin reconfiguring the roster anew.

June 26, 1996: Selected Jermaine O’Neal (1st round, 17th pick) and Marcus Brown (2nd round, 46th pick) in the 1996 NBA Draft.

In the talent-laden 1996 NBA Draft, Whitsitt made a solid pick with the selection of O’Neal, an athletic, bouncy young South Carolina native straight out of high school, at a time when the drafting of players without college experience was still considered to be mostly taboo. 

Brown was a decent pick given where he was selected. However, he had a very short NBA career, lasting only 27 games, while swingman Shandon Anderson, picked eight spots after Brown, would go on to play 10 years in the NBA as a valuable contributor for various playoff teams. 

July 15, 1996: Traded Harvey Grant and Rod Strickland to the Washington Bullets for Mitchell Butler and Rasheed Wallace.

Shortly after the draft, Whitsitt acquired the foundational piece for the next era of Blazers basketball, sending Grant and Strickland to Washington for the Bullets’ 22-year-old 6 ’10 Rasheed Wallace.

 Wallace was a force, a skilled offensive player who could operate from in the post out to the three-point line, yet was also a capable defender and rebounder. 

Unfortunately, his….temperamental personality knew no bounds, affecting coaches, teammates, and most notably refs alike. Whitsitt was undeterred. All that mattered to him was the talent. He would continue to seek out more of just that.

July 23, 1996: Signed Kenny Anderson as a free agent.

July 23, 1996: Traded Bill Curley, James Robinson, and a 1997 1st round draft pick (Paul Grant was later selected) to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Isaiah Rider.

January 24, 1997: Traded Randolph Childress, Reggie Jordan, and Aaron McKie to the Detroit Pistons for Stacey Augmon.

July brought the arrival of both solid point guard Anderson as well as the talented yet troubled Rider. Rider was a slam dunk champion and former all-rookie team member who had averaged 18 points per game and shot over 35% from three over his first three years with Minnesota. However, he also had earned the label of a selfish malcontent with plenty of ink spent on his issues off of the court.

 Later in the season, the Blazers acquired Augmon, a 6’6” lengthy wing who didn’t bring a ton to the offensive end but was a destructive defensive terror. 

The biggest addition (both figuratively and literally) was the arrival of the 31 year old 7-3, 260 lb center Arvydas Sabonis. Drafted by the Blazers in 1985, Sabonis was not allowed to play in the US by the Soviet authorities for nearly a decade. Despite being in his early 30’s and nowhere near the marvel he was in his prime, Sabonis was still one of the best European players of all time, and  brought a deft outside touch, solid rebounding, and most importantly a preternatural passing vision, and he would be a key factor in the Blazers offense for years to come.

The impact of this most recent batch of acquisitions was felt immediately in Rose City, as Portland vaulted to a 49-33 record, finishing in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating. This Blazers squad was a balanced unit, with six players averaging double-digit scoring, paced by Anderson’s 17 a contest. Portland would eventually go down in the first round to a superior Lakers team led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant (this would become a theme) yet the season ended with the renewed sense of hope often experienced by a team on the rise

Rather than sit tight with the current unit, Whitsitt continued to be aggressive. He parted ways with P.J. Carlesimo (who had clashed with some members of the Blazers) and brought in Mike Dunleavy as the new head coach. In the 1997 NBA Draft he selected Chris Anstey with the 18th pick and Alvin Williams with the 47th. He also made a three-team trade, one that cleared the contract of noted stiff Chris Dudley off of the Blazers books. In early 1998, Whitsitt would make a move for another piece to grow alongside Wallace.

Turning a Corner

February 13, 1998: Traded Kenny Anderson, Gary Trent, Alvin Williams, a 1998 1st round draft pick (Bryce Drew was later selected), a 1998 1st round draft pick (Mirsad Türkcan was later selected), and a 1998 2nd round draft pick (Tyson Wheeler was later selected) to the Toronto Raptors for Carlos Rogers, Damon Stoudamire, and Walt Williams.

Stoudamire was a major addition to Portland, and well worth the price. The former 1996 Rookie of the Year was a lightning-quick guard with the ability to penetrate to the lane at will, yet also bomb away from outside with regularity. He averaged 19 points and over eight assists per game with the Raptors and was an early fan favorite, but he quickly became disillusioned with the front office and soon was on the outs with Toronto.

Stoudamire wasn’t the only productive player picked up in the trade.  Walt Williams was a steady wing who shot the three-ball well, coming off of a 38% season from beyond the arc, while Rogers was a young big who had flashed hints of potential.

In one move, Whitsitt acquired a great point guard who was just 24 in exchange for one starter, one rotation player, a recent 2nd round selection, and a set of picks that would ultimately yield little in way of a return. Out of all of his trades up to this point, this latest one would set the table for continued success for the Blazers. 

The 1998-1999 season was a transcendent one. The Blazers finished the season first in the Pacific Division at 35-15 and were a top 10 team in the league. In the playoffs, the Blazers swept past the Suns and dispatched the Jazz, but fell to the Spurs in a sweep, including a heartbreaking loss in game two where Sean Elliot hit his iconic “memorial day miracle” to win the game for San Antonio.

 A devastating playoff exit to be sure, but one that built hope in the young future foundation cooking in Portland. After all, the Blazers were a team on the rise, with a burgeoning young core, a great coaching mind, and a front office that wasn’t afraid to make moves. 

And they were about to get even better.

August 2, 1999: Traded Jim Jackson and Isaiah Rider to the Atlanta Hawks for Ed Gray and Steve Smith.

August 2, 1999: Signed Detlef Schrempf as a free agent.

October 2, 1999: Traded Stacey Augmon, Kelvin Cato, Ed Gray, Carlos Rogers, Brian Shaw and Walt Williams to the Houston Rockets for Scottie Pippen.

In a three month span, Whitsitt solidified the core of a championship contender. One-dimensional scorers Jackson and Rider were out; versatile veterans Steve Smith and Detlef Schrempf were in. At 6’7 and 6’10 respectively, Smith and Schrempf brought size, savvy, and multi-positional flexibility to the Blazers, with each man able to shoot from distance, facilitate offense, and rebound adequately. 

The biggest move of course, was the addition of 7 time All-Star Scottie Pippen.

Pippen had just finished a lost season in Houston, where he struggled to play as an off-ball player in the post-heavy offense the Rockets employed with Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley. Additional tension with Barkley behind the scenes made the situation untenable, and Whitsitt truly made a steal of a move acquiring the future hall of famer for pieces that no longer fit Portland’s timeline.

Pippen’s ability to operate as a point forward gave the Blazers an additional wrinkle in their offensive attack, allowing for further diversification of playmaking across different positions. Defensively, the 35 year old had lost a step, but could still read offensive coverages and play passing lanes better than almost anyone. Most importantly, his arrival allowed Rasheed Wallace to move from small forward (the position he played the entire 1998-1999 season) to power forward, where he became one of the most dominant players at that position. 

In summary, this team was stacked. In five short seasons, Bob Whitsitt had done a masterclass in roster construction, taking a team that was in the early stages of decline and rebuilding it into a revamped roster with a rotation made up of the following players:

Scottie Pippen (7 All-Star appearances)

Rasheed Wallace (4 All-Star appearances)

Detlef Schrempf (3 All-Star appearances)

Steve Smith (1 All-Star appearance)

Jermaine O’Neal (future 6X All-Star)

Damon Stoudamire

Arvydas Sabonis

Greg Anthony

Briant Grant

Bonzi Wells 

Quite the abundance of riches, no? The starting lineup was made up of Pippen and Wallace at forward, Sabonis at center, and Stoudamire and Smith at guard. The bench included solid players  Briant Grant, Schrempf, Greg Anthony, Bonzi Wells, and young Jermaine O’Neal. 

This Blazers team had it all: scoring, defense, playmaking, shooting, instant offense, and depth. Not many other teams could match it, and Portland rolled through the western conference.

The Blazers finished the 1999-2000 season 59-23, which was good for the 2nd best record in the NBA. They also had the 3rd best offensive rating, the 5th best defensive rating, and the 2nd best net rating in the Association. In the playoffs, the Blazers rolled past the Timberwolves, plowed through the Jazz, and found themselves in the western conference finals against…the Shaq/Kobe Lakers, the only team with a better record than themselves.

The 2000 Western Conference Finals was an absolute classic. The Blazers would take the series to a series-deciding seventh game and even built up a 15 point lead in the 4th quarter. Unfortunately, they would lose not only the lead, but also the series, in a game that effectively  served as the coronation of  a dynasty..one that would not reside in Beavertown, unfortunately, but in the city of Angels.

Despite this painful loss, the Blazers were in decent shape. Talented, 10 deep, with room for growth from players like Wallace, Stoudamire, Wells, and O’ Neal, as well as optimism of sustained greatness from Pippen, Sabonis, Smith, and Schrempf. Surely there was no need to make additional moves and potentially upset the balance of the roster, right?

Right?

The Bottom Falls Out

August 30, 2000: As part of a 3-team trade, the Portland Trail Blazers traded Brian Grant to the Miami Heat and traded Gary Grant to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Shawn Kemp 

August 31, 2000: Traded Joe Kleine and Jermaine O’Neal to the Indiana Pacers for Dale Davis.

On paper, Whittsitt’s August moves added more talent to the roster, with Kemp being a multiple time All-Star and Davis being a steady presence on a series of solid Indiana Pacers squads throughout the nineties. The reasoning, according to Whitsitt, was that the two big men would be able to be deployed alongside Sabonis to keep Shaq in check should the Blazers and Lakers meet again in the playoffs.

Unfortunately, the reality of the situation was that Shawn Kemp was more “big, man” than “big man” and had suffered with both weight and attitude issues in Cleveland, which would carry over to Portland. Also, while Davis’ play was still solid, the Kemp/Davis platoon would most certainly not be “Shaq Stoppers”, as the 2001 Blazers would soon find out. 

Portland finished the 2000-2001 campaign with a record of 52-30 where they would, inevitably, meet the Lakers again. There would be no prolonged battle here; these Lakers were a well oiled machine and were met with as much resistance from the Blazers as someone would be ripping a sheet of wet paper. The Blazers were swept by L.A, with Shaq averaging 27 points and 15 rebounds, in case you were wondering. Whitsitt and the Blazers were left with another lost season.

Shortly after the season, coach Mike Dunleavy was fired and replaced with future hall of famer Maurice Cheeks. Dunleavy had taken the Blazers to the playoffs all four seasons that he was at the helm, but Whitsitt wanted to move in a different direction, and this was the first step in what looked to be a very important offseason for the Blazers.

Unfortunately, the moves made in the offseason didn’t help. The end of Bob Whitsitt’s Blazers era was near.

June 27, 2001: Selected Zach Randolph (1st round, 19th pick) and Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje (2nd round, 50th pick) in the 2001 NBA Draft.

July 25, 2001: Traded Steve Smith to the San Antonio Spurs for Derek Anderson, Steve Kerr and a 2003 2nd round draft pick (Andreas Glyniadakis was later selected).

July 30, 2001: Signed Ruben Patterson as a free agent.

Smith had taken a small step back the previous season, but was also their 2nd leading scorer in the playoff loss to the Lakers. Anderson was solid, if unspectacular, while Glyniadakis would never wear a Blazers jersey. After one season, Kerr would soon find himself back with Smith in San Antonio, where they would win a championship.

There were other, bigger losses too. Both Sabonis and Schrempf retired in the offseason. Both players brought a steady veteran presence and a stabilizing quality on the floor that would be sorely missed, especially with the now 37 year old Pippen rapidly beginning to decline. The young Randolph could bring scoring and rebounding, but was still learning the game and wasn’t a perfect fit with the veteran core, and while Patterson brought defense on the floor, off of if he was a… destructive presence, to put it mildly.

The 2001-2002 Blazers still won, finishing 49-33, but they were no longer the force they once looked to be. They once more ran into the Lakers, and once more they were easily dispatched in a sweep. Sabonis actually returned to the Blazers in the 2002-2003 season, and Portland bounced back, crossing the 50 win threshold and finishing amongst the league’s best for the fourth year in a row.

They also didn’t face the Lakers in the postseason, instead matching up with Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, and the young Dallas Mavericks. The Blazers went down 3-0 before staging a furious rally, winning the next three games behind dominant post play from Zach Randolph and inspired performances from Wallace, Wells, and Stoudamire. Unfortunately by game seven, the Blazers were out of gas, and the Mavericks, led by Dirk and super sub Nick Van Exel, sent Portland packing.

That was the final gasp for the Whitsitt era. He was fired on June 30th, 2003, with a whopping 75 transactions over the course of nine years. Bob Whitsitt took a team whose championship window was closed and reopened it with a flurry of moves and roster changes. Unfortunately he couldn’t help but prying at the window, and ultimately ended up breaking the glass as the team spiraled out of control, not meshing on the court and drawing attention for all the wrong reasons off of it. 

Lessons From Bob

Looking back on Bob Whitsitt’s tenure, although the mistakes were notable, it is important not to lose sight of what he did accomplish. Whitsitt fast-tracked a rebuild, taking a team in steep decline and building it back up to championship contention in a series of 5 years, all the while keeping them in the playoffs annually. He assembled a roster comprised of at least five former or future all-stars that contributed, in addition to one of the greatest European players ever. Additionally, those late 90’s/early 2000’s Blazers teams were incredibly deep, with pieces that complemented each other, and that isn’t necessarily an easy roster to construct. There is something to be said for that, and Whitsitt deserves his flowers for doing so.

Team building is a delicate process, more akin to making a cake than, say, NBA 2K. There is room for improvisation to be sure, but a championship recipe usually has a set list of ingredients. Bob Whitsitt assembled a team that could have won a title, and that isn’t an easy feat and should be respected. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get out of his own way, and that is why the Blazers couldn’t find theirs.

The post Not Quite Dynasties: the Late 90s Portland Trail Blazers appeared first on Swish Theory.