In their storied history, the Portland Trail Blazers have had quite a few talented players, and many of them have been bold enough to suit up at power forward. These unique players have to play with the size and strength of a center while showcasing the shooting skills of a guard. It’s a skill set many players don’t have the talent for, even if they have the height and size to play the position.
A true “4” on the lineup is not as common as it used to be, and the common misconception that these players are just shorter or less talented centers is not correct. A center has to be the protector of the rim and the most dangerous offensive player from short range, but they don’t need to have an 18-foot jumper.
One could argue it’s tougher to play power forward, and the expectations are relentless.
But who has been the best of the fantastic fours we have had in Portland? And are there any regrets over two all-time greats we narrowly missed out on? And the bigger question – would the forwards we have had on the team be able to play out one of the greats that played somewhere else?
Maurice Lucas
Big Luke the enforcer was Portland’s original power forward, starting alongside Bill Walton in the first year post-merger and establishing the Blazers as a team to watch out for. Walton was a formidable and aggressive player on both ends of the court, and their playing style would not have worked if Lucas wasn’t there every step of the way, helping clean out the garbage in front of the net.
A skilled scorer and competent defender, Lucas flourished as the second big man in Portland and was a critical piece of their championship roster. In his best season in Portland in 1977, Lucas averaged 20.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block per game. He was named an all-star and finished 9th in MVP voting.
Buck Williams
Less than a decade after Lucas left the Rose City, Uncle Buck arrived ready to take on the challenge of being the best double-double machine in the league. In his first season in Portland, Buck put up great numbers as one of the best two-way players in the league and immediately helped solidify Portland around the hoop. Buck’s veteran savvy was a welcome addition to a very young and athletic core that lacked the one thing Buck had in droves – experience.
The often forgotten antidote to the Sam Bowie legacy, Buck was exactly what the fans needed after some lost years due to an injured young center – consistent and reliable. And it didn’t hurt that he made wearing goggles look cool.
In his first year in Portland, Buck averaged 13.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1 steal, and half a block while being selected to the all-defense team. Buck wasn’t always flashy, but he was always there and got the job done. He didn’t help space the floor as much as some other forwards in the league, but he could help in transition as well as any player in the game.
LaMarcus Aldridge
The “L Train” came to Portland with high expectations, and while his play on the court was good if not great out of the gate, he was often overshadowed by teammate Brandon Roy. LA had limited skill on defense when he was younger, but by the time he was the team captain when Damian Lillard arrived in 2012, there was no question he was one of the best forwards in the game, and definitely capable of playing center if needed.
With incredible length and a great outside jumper, LA could play anywhere on the court effectively, and was one of the earliest versions of a “stretch 4” in the NBA. His second-to-last season in Portland was his finest, averaging 23.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, and was voted an all-star while finishing 10th for MVP.
Charles Barkley
If you were going to replace Buck with one player from NBA history who was not named Horace Grant, it would probably be Sir Charles. Taken just a couple of picks after Bowie in the 1984 draft, there is a timeline where Barkley plays in Portland, and we never get to see Buck or Bowie in a Portland uniform. We know Portland missed out on Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan, but what about one of the best rebounders the game has ever seen?
I’m not sure a shorter forward would have worked since Portland was already average in height at the other spots, but with talented scorers at the two guard spots and the other forward spot, it may not have mattered. It’s possible Barkley would have had trouble keeping up with Portland’s uptempo offense that made them so much fun to watch, but he didn’t seem to have much trouble when he landed in Phoenix’s fast-paced offense in the early ’90s, so it’s possible he would have fit in just fine.
Charles’ best season with Philadelphia in the first half of his career came in 1990 when he averaged 25.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.9 steals, and half a block while finishing 2nd in MVP voting and being selected to the All-Star team and All-NBA teams.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Damian Lillard is currently a teammate of Giannis in the other Milwaukee, but a time existed when they could have been teammates in Portland. Taken just five picks after CJ McCollum in 2013, there was absolutely room for Giannis in the Rose City if they had taken a chance on him. Granted, at the time, they already had one of the best forwards in the game in Aldridge as well as one of the best defenders in Nic Batum, so there is a fair argument on both sides. But knowing how good Giannis became, it would have been fun to see him team up with Dame when they were both in their primes.
Giannis was a very raw athlete when he first joined the Bucks and barely started a quarter of their games. Not precisely a first-round talent in his first season, but he finally seemed to break through in his 4th season and was among the best in the league by his 5th year. Portland could have had two all-time greats to build around, and while CJ was a very gifted shooter, he didn’t do much else and didn’t force defenses to plan around him as a guy who could create his own shots. CJ was a very good streaker shooter, but not going to be confused as one of the best all-around players in the league.
In his first MVP season in 2019, Giannis averaged 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.5 blocks while being the runner-up for defensive player of the year, being voted an all-star, and being named to the All-NBA team. Imagine what Dame could have done in 2019 with a teammate capable of that season-long impact.
As much as I admire Lucas for helping Portland win its first championship and Buck for getting Portland back to the Finals after a 12-year hiatus, it’s tough to say they were the best power forwards in Portland’s history. That’s not a knock on them; they were not the generational players some other guys were.
LaMarcus is in the conversation, but he had too many holes in his game when he was younger and struggled to lead the team later in his career. He probably would have had a more decorated standing with the average fan if he had stayed once the team got back to being contenders. Still, he chose to go to San Antonio and struggled to remain relevant before slowly fading into the background later in his career. He still did some incredible things in the two years he and Lillard made the playoffs together, but the rest of the time, he was taller than he was big in memory.
Barkley would have been an interesting guy to have on the team when it came time to play the Pistons and Bulls, as they needed a guy with an attitude and who wasn’t afraid throw the first punch, but I’m not sure his rugged playing style would have been a good fit with Portland in an entire season, let alone several.
The leaves just Giannis. he has had a remarkable career and may not even be halfway done. His being amazing doesn’t mean his counterparts are not also incredible, but it’s tough to line him up against Portland’s all-time power forwards and say he’s not the clear choice. I will always wonder what might have been if they had been able to bring him together with Dame here, and that probably means LA leaving would have stung a little less, knowing we had another great forward ready to step up.
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