Editing Portland Trail Blazers (section)

=== 1983–1995: The Clyde Drexler era ===

==== Drafting Clyde Drexler ====
[[File:Clyde Drexler 01.jpg|upright|left|thumb|160px|[[Clyde Drexler]] played in Portland from 1983 to 1995.]]
In the [[1983 NBA draft|1983 draft]], the team selected [[Phi Slama Jama|University of Houston]] guard–forward [[Clyde Drexler]] with the 14th pick;<ref name="nbadraft" /> "Clyde the Glide" would become the face of the franchise for over a decade, and the team's second-most decorated player (after Walton).<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Clyde Drexler Biography |encyclopedia=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff edition |publisher=National Basketball Association |url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/drexler_bio.html |access-date=November 8, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190215220102/http://www.nba.com/history/players/drexler_bio.html |archive-date=February 15, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[1984 NBA draft|In the next year's draft]], the Trail Blazers landed the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft. After the Houston Rockets selected Drexler's college teammate [[Hakeem Olajuwon]] at No. 1, the Trail Blazers selected [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|Kentucky]] center [[Sam Bowie]]. Drafting third, the [[Chicago Bulls]] selected [[Michael Jordan]]. The selection of the injury-plagued Bowie over Jordan has been criticized as one of the worst draft picks in the history of American professional sports.<ref name="baddraft" /><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Dwyer |first=Kelly |date=June 24, 2005 |title=NBA Draft Busts |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/2005/06/24/gallery.nbabusts/content.20.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114191101/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/2005/06/24/gallery.nbabusts/content.20.html |archive-date=January 14, 2010 |access-date=November 5, 2007 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref> That summer, the Blazers also made a controversial trade, sending Lever, Cooper, and Natt to the [[Denver Nuggets]] for high-scoring forward [[Kiki Vandeweghe]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Denver Nuggets History: 1979 to 1990 |url=http://www.nba.com/nuggets/history/eighties.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080202065137/http://www.nba.com/nuggets/history/eighties.html |archive-date=February 2, 2008 |access-date=November 6, 2007 |website=Denver Nuggets official website |publisher=National Basketball Association}}</ref> In the [[1985 NBA draft|1985 draft]], the Blazers selected point guard [[Terry Porter]] with the last pick of the first round. Porter would go on to become one of the top point guards in the league, and the Blazers' all-time leader in assists.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news |last=Quick |first=Jason |date=April 10, 2010 |title=Blazers Top 40: No. 3 Terry Porter, the king of three-pointers |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/04/blazers_top_40_no_3_terry_port.html |website=[[The Oregonian]]}}</ref>

[[File:Arvydas Sabonis.jpg|left|thumb|160px|After being drafted by the Trail Blazers several years prior, [[Arvydas Sabonis]] made his NBA debut during the 1995–96 season.]]
However, the Blazers continued to struggle in the postseason, and in 1986, Ramsay was fired and replaced with [[Mike Schuler]]. Despite this, they were the only team to beat the Boston Celtics on the road that season.<ref name="teamhistory" /> That following off-season, the team drafted two players from behind the [[Iron Curtain]], [[Arvydas Sabonis]] and [[Dražen Petrović]],<ref name="nbadraft">{{Cite web |title=Portland Trail Blazers Draft History |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/draft.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012111432/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/draft.html |archive-date=October 12, 2007 |access-date=November 5, 2007 |website=basketball-reference.com}}</ref> and sent Thompson to the [[San Antonio Spurs]] for former [[Oregon State Beavers|Oregon State University]] star [[Steve Johnson (basketball)|Steve Johnson]]. Johnson was a high-scoring forward-center who the team intended to pair with Bowie on the frontline. It was not to be, as Bowie broke his leg five games into the [[1986–87 NBA season|1986–87 season]], missing the next two and a half seasons.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 9, 1986 |title=Broken leg sidelines Sam Bowie |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/MH/lib00246,0EB3661A47E857D7.html |work=[[Miami Herald]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 19, 1987 |title=Blazers' Bowie breaks his leg—again |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-searc/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB29D8666D6699E&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |access-date=November 8, 2007 |work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]}} {{dead link|date=December 2011|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref> During Schuler's brief tenure, the Blazers failed to advance out of the first round of the NBA playoffs.<ref name="cbs" />

==== Paul Allen ownership ====
In 1988, [[Microsoft]] co-founder [[Paul Allen]] purchased the Blazers for $70 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burke |first=Monte |date=December 4, 2008 |title=Rebound |url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2008/1222/083.html#fe5b2d1f4ca8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180214074022/https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2008/1222/083.html#fe5b2d1f4ca8 |archive-date=February 14, 2018 |access-date=February 13, 2018 |website=Forbes |quote=Allen bought the team [the Trailblazers] in 1988 for $70 million.}}</ref><ref name="sale">{{Cite news |date=June 1, 1988 |title=Trail Blazers Deal |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE4D81739F932A35755C0A96E948260 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071219091004/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE4D81739F932A35755C0A96E948260 |archive-date=December 19, 2007 |access-date=November 8, 2007 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> At the time of the purchase, Allen, then 35, became the youngest team owner in the Big Four professional sports.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 4, 2008 |title=Sports Overview |url=https://www.vulcan.com/areas-of-practice/investments/key-initiatives/sports-overview |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180214073648/https://www.vulcan.com/areas-of-practice/investments/key-initiatives/sports-overview |archive-date=February 14, 2018 |access-date=February 13, 2018 |website=Vulcan |publisher=Forbes |quote=In 1988, Paul Allen became the youngest owner in professional sports when he purchased the Portland Trail Blazers at age 35.}}</ref> His first season as owner was one marked by turmoil, as conflicts erupted over who should start at several positions. Both Vandeweghe and Johnson suffered injuries; they were replaced in the starting lineup by [[Jerome Kersey]] and [[Kevin Duckworth]]. Several players, most notably Drexler, were accused of undermining Schuler.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=McCallum |first=Jack |author-link=Jack McCallum |date=January 16, 1989 |title=Is anybody happy here? |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref> The team went 25–22 to open the 1988–89 season, and Schuler was fired. He was replaced on an interim basis with assistant coach [[Rick Adelman]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Clifton |date=March 5, 1989 |title=PRO BASKETBALL; Changing Team Chemistry Adds Risk to Equation |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE3DE1E3AF936A35750C0A96F948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321042405/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/05/sports/pro-basketball-changing-team-chemistry-adds-risk-to-equation.html?sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |archive-date=March 21, 2023 |access-date=November 8, 2007 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> and Vandeweghe was traded to the [[New York Knicks]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Goldaper |first=Sam |date=April 25, 1989 |title=A Question Mark for Vandeweghe |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DEEDB113EF936A15757C0A96F948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201024230/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/25/sports/a-question-mark-for-vandeweghe.html |archive-date=February 1, 2021 |access-date=November 6, 2007 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Under Adelman, the team went 14–21 to finish the season, and barely qualified for the playoffs. That off-season, the team traded [[Sam Bowie]] (who had returned to the team to end the season) to the [[New Jersey Nets]] for forward [[Buck Williams]], and Adelman was given the coaching job on a non-interim basis.<ref name="teamhistory" />

==== Reaching the NBA Finals ====
The addition of Williams, and the replacement of the defensively challenged Vandeweghe with the defensive-minded Kersey, turned the team from a poor defensive squad into a good one.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Anderson |first=Dave |date=December 28, 1990 |title=Man at Work: Buck Blends With Blazers |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEEDA103FF93BA15751C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201024230/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/12/28/sports/sports-of-the-times-man-at-work-buck-blends-with-blazers.html |archive-date=February 1, 2021 |access-date=November 8, 2007 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Led by Drexler, the team reached the NBA Finals in [[1990 NBA Finals|1990]] and [[1992 NBA Finals|1992]], losing to the [[Detroit Pistons]] and [[Chicago Bulls]]. Possibly inspired by the {{nfly|1985}} [[Chicago Bears]]' "[[Super Bowl Shuffle]]", during the run-up to their 1990 Finals appearance, the Blazers recorded two songs: "Bust a Bucket" and "Rip City Rhapsody" (with music played and recorded by Josh Mellicker, "Rip City" being a reference to the city's nickname). The year in between their two finals appearances, the team posted a league-best 63–19 record before losing to the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in the Western Conference finals, including a heartbreaker in game 6 where, in the final seconds, Cliff Robinson dropped a pass while standing directly under the basket, and then, with a few seconds left, Terry Porter's desperation wide-open 20-footer bounced out. However, the team failed to win an NBA title, and failed to advance past the first round in [[1992–93 NBA season|1993]] and [[1993–94 NBA season|1994]].<ref name="cbs" /> Adelman was fired after the 1994 season,<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 20, 1994 |title=Trail Blazers fire Adelman |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9907E7DE1338F933A15756C0A962958260&sec=&spon= |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201024204/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/20/sports/sports-people-pro-basketball-trail-blazers-fire-adelman.html |archive-date=February 1, 2021 |access-date=November 8, 2007 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> and replaced with [[P. J. Carlesimo]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 24, 1994 |title=Carlesimo Leaves Hall To Coach Trail Blazers |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9901EED81E3DF937A15755C0A962958260&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/C/Carlesimo,%20P.%20J. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201024242/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/24/sports/pro-basketball-carlesimo-leaves-hall-to-coach-trail-blazers.html |archive-date=February 1, 2021 |access-date=November 8, 2007 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> which led to the resignation of executive vice-president [[Geoff Petrie]], a close friend of Adelman's.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Powell |first=Shaun |date=May 30, 1994 |title=Allen is ready to write a program for the Blazers |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n22_v217/ai_15278643 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904080620/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n22_v217/ai_15278643 |archive-date=September 4, 2015 |access-date=November 8, 2007 |work=[[The Sporting News]]}}</ref>

In July 1994, the Trail Blazers announced the hiring of a new team president, former [[Seattle SuperSonics]] general manager [[Bob Whitsitt]].<ref name="funding" /> Whitsitt, known as "Trader Bob" for his penchant for engaging player-exchange transactions,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nelson |first=Glenn |date=June 22, 1994 |title='Trader Bob' Makes Final Deal |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19940622/1916842/trader-bob-makes-final-deal |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010111707/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19940622&slug=1916842 |archive-date=October 10, 2014 |access-date=June 24, 2012 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> immediately set about revamping the Blazers roster; this included dismantling the aging Drexler-led team that had twice been to the finals.<ref name="clyde">{{Cite news |last=Drexler |first=Clyde |date=September 3, 2004 |title=It is a crime what has happened |url=http://thetribonline.com/sports/story.php?story_id=25742 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016121717/http://thetribonline.com/sports/story.php?story_id=25742 |archive-date=October 16, 2015 |access-date=April 20, 2013 |work=Portland Tribune}}</ref> Drexler requested to be traded to a contender, and the Trail Blazers traded him to the [[Houston Rockets]].<ref name="clyde" /> In the fall of 1995, the team left the Memorial Coliseum for a new home, the 20,000-seat [[Rose Garden Arena]].<ref name="teamhistory" /> The sellout streak ended in the new building.<ref name="funding" />