10 former Portland Trail Blazers that might surprise you

No. 7: Sasha Pavlovic (2012-13)

Statistics: 2.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game on 35.3 percent from the field

If the name “Sasha Pavlovic” comes up in a room — and you know this happens often — it’s usually for one reason above all others.

The smooth-shooting Montenegro guard carved out a decade-long career in the pros, and was a part of the groundbreaking 2003 NBA Draft class that changed the game forever. But, he’s been relegated to a footnote status in the chronicles of LeBron James’ first go-round in Cleveland, and the endless supply of role players he helped earn money and notoriety among bigger basketball circles (Pavlovic never earned more than a $2 million contract outside of Cleveland while in the NBA).

True to his role, Pavlovic was a capable catch-and-shoot marksmen in Cleveland, averaging 6.1 points per game on 37.4 percent from three, and started all 20 games of the Cavaliers’ 2007 NBA Finals run.

Pavlovic finished out his NBA career on the Portland Trail Blazers in 2012-13, as part of a three-team deal that was headlined by sending Courtney Lee to the Celtics.

Pavlovic’s time in Portland was mostly uneventful; Portland’s bench produced just 13.4 points per game — so basically, one half of an average Lou Williams game — a number so bad, that Zach Harper of The Athletic (then CBS Sports) suggested they would be better off asking Clyde Drexler and Kevin Duckworth to ice up and come out of retirement. 

In many ways, it was still must-watch; Pavlovic nearly broke a record for most minutes played without a free throw make (he had reached 528), but caught a whistle at the end of a Lakers-Blazers game that killed history. Fun times, those 2012-13 Trail Blazers were.