7 Biggest Trades in Portland Trail Blazers History, Ranked

The Portland Trail Blazers have made many moves to give them a better shot at winning games and improving their championship basketball odds at a sportsbook.

The Trail Blazers made good on their short NBA championship odds in 1977.

With that said, what are the seven biggest trades in Trail Blazers history? Let’s find out.

7 Biggest Portland Trail Blazers Trades in Team History

1. Gerald Wallace for Mehmet Okur, Shawne Williams, and First-Round Pick

The New Jersey Nets traded their 2012 first-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Gerald Wallace in March of that year, which ended up becoming Damian Lillard at No. 6 overall.

Lillard is arguably the most beloved Blazer of all time, given his shots that extended from the logo and incredible ability to finish at the rim.

His most iconic moments came when he hit series-clinching buzzer-beater 3-pointers in the first round of the playoffs in 2014 and 2019.

2. Geoff Petrie, Steve Hawes for Draft Pick

The Blazers landed the second pick in the 1976 ABA dispersal draft in this trade with the Atlanta Hawks, which led them to select Maurice Lucas.

Lucas was known for his fearlessness, as he helped Portland win a championship in 1977, averaging 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while taking down the Philadelphia 76ers for the title.

3. Sam Bowie and First-Round Pick for Buck Williams

Sam Bowie was infamously selected with the No. 2 pick in the 1984 NBA Draft, just ahead of Michael Jordan.

Bowie was dealt to the Nets in 1989 for Buck Williams, as Williams helped the Trail Blazers get to the NBA Finals alongside Clyde Drexler in 1990 and 1992 with his excellent two-way play.

4. Kelvin Ransey for Wayne Cooper and First-Round Pick

This trade with the Dallas Mavericks went down in 1982, but it didn’t end up paying off until the 1985 NBA Draft, when Portland selected Terry Porter with the No. 24 pick.

Porter slotted in nicely next to Drexler in Portland’s backcourt, providing playmaking, 3-point shooting, and defence during his decade-long stay in Rip City.

5. Viktor Khryapa and Tyrus Thomas for LaMarcus Aldridge and Second-Round Pick

Portland traded Tyrus Thomas (No. 4 overall) to the Chicago Bulls for LaMarcus Aldridge (No. 2 overall) in 2006, and this trade was an absolute steal for the Trail Blazers.

Aldridge had one of the most automatic midrange and turnaround fadeaway jumpers the NBA has ever seen, which helped him score the third-most points in franchise history.

6. Clyde Drexler and Tracy Murray for Otis Thorpe, Marcelo Nicola and First-Round Pick

Clyde Drexler was sent to his hometown Houston Rockets in February 1995, as he teamed up with Hakeem Olajuwon to help the franchise win their second consecutive championship by sweeping the Orlando Magic.

Drexler led the Trail Blazers to the Finals in 1990 and 1992, finishing second to Michael Jordan in MVP voting during the 1991-92 season.

7. Damian Lillard, Keon Johnson, Nassir Little, and Jusuf Nurkić for Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, Jrue Holiday, First-Round Pick, and Two First-Round Pick Swaps

Lillard was dealt to the Bucks in 2023 in a three-team trade featuring the Phoenix Suns, teaming up with Giannis Antetokounmpo in an attempt to help bring Milwaukee another championship.

Jrue Holiday was shortly rerouted to Boston for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, and two first-round picks, as he helped the Celtics bring home a championship in 2024.