Can Damian Lillard catch Clyde as best Blazer?

[BlazersRizing]

I assume Clyde is everyone's best Blazer ever correct? Walton won a ring but the longevity isn't there.

So does Lillard have a shot at becoming the best Blazer ever potentially? He's coming off a season similiar to Clyde's best 2 seasons of his career. Obviously he has a LONG way to go and it probably sounds ridiculous but I don't think Dame has gotten enough credit for his improvement year by year.

[Norm2953]

I've got Bill Walton as the best Blazer winning a championship is the #1 thing for an athlete.
Dame has got to get Portland into the chamionship finals before he's in the conversation.

Dame though is likely going to go down as Portland's best franchise PG.

[Wizenheimer]

Dame is already 27 years old....it's not like he has his whole career ahead of him. Clyde was a 10-time all-star and led the team to two finals appearances. That's a lot for Dame to live up to.

[ebott]

I agree with Norm. Your legacy is your playoff success. This conversation isn't worth having until a Dame led team gets to the Western conference finals.

[monopoman]

Dame is already 27 years old....it's not like he has his whole career ahead of him. Clyde was a 10-time all-star and led the team to two finals appearances. That's a lot for Dame to live up to.

I think Clyde had the benefit of being on a more stacked team though, I mean that Blazer team was probably the best team in the West during those final appearances.

[Agenda42]

It's possible, but unlikely. Drexler led the Blazers to the Finals and finished 2nd in MVP voting to prime Jordan. That is a big ask.

[PDXKnight]

Hard to say but if I had to guess now I wouldn't predict he'd be better than Clyde and definitely wouldn't be better than prime Walton. Dame is a phenomenal player and to his credit he doesn't have nearly the team around him that Drexler did but yet still playoff track record has to count for something

[IndianYoda]

Until he gets Portland to the WCF and rivals the best player in the game, nope. That said, I think he'll easily eclipse Porter as the best PG in franchise history. And definitely a top 5, maybe top 3 Blazer of all time.

[BigLurch92]

Probably way too early to tell. I certainly hope so though.

[Norm2953]

To be fair, Bill Walton played in the eras where there were no free agents and Clyde played in the
era with less liberalization of the NBA free agent rules.

Lebron has changed the rules in free agency for the forseeable future. THe likelihood of Dame
ever being the best Blazer might be impossible unless the Nurkic's of the world turn into a
franchise center and the team adds an elite talent to their front court. It's more likely Dame
will end up leaving in 2021 or forcing a trade to another team to chase a ring.

[DaVoiceMaster]

I really soured on Drexler when they held the 50 greatest NBA players of all time ceremony at the Rose Garden and he wore a Houston Rockets jacket. Even Bill Walton, who won 2 championships with Boston, wore a Blazers jacket. If the free agent market had been what it is today back in the 80's, Clyde would have been gone so fast. His heart was always in Houston. Classy guy, but that's left a sour taste in my mouth ever since.

[deanwoof]

No I don't think he can.

[britblazerdude]

Of course. Just needs to keep grinding and never leave!

[Soulyss]

I don't know if Dame will or not... much of his legacy is beyond his control (Players around him, GSW, etc...) but I do believe that Dame will never accept not being the best, and will do everything he can to win it all... and I think that is all we can ask.