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The 5 worst draft picks in Portland Trail Blazers history

By Joe Capraro

HOLLYWOOD - JULY 11: NBA players Greg Oden (L) and Kevin Durant pose for photos in the press room during the 2007 ESPY Awards at the Kodak Theatre on July 11, 2007 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD - JULY 11: NBA players Greg Oden (L) and Kevin Durant pose for photos in the press room during the 2007 ESPY Awards at the Kodak Theatre on July 11, 2007 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) /
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Portland Trail Blazers, Chauncey Billups, NBA lottery, Blazers draft
Jan 15, 2022; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups reacts to a play against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports /

The Portland Trail Blazers appear headed for the draft lottery for the first time since 2013, but the franchise has a checkered history regarding top picks:

The Portland Trail Blazers have won three of their last four games but are still barely clinging to the last play-in spot in the Western Conference.

And while new dad CJ McCollum is scheduled to return to the lineup tonight after missing 18 games with a collapsed lung, Damian Lillard is out for at least the next six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery on his abdomen.

Injuries and the doublespeakesquely named NBA “health and safety protocols” have brought chaos to the Blazers’ lineup cards since a relatively stable start: head coach Chauncey Billups has used 15 different starting fives in the Blazers’ last 21 games.

Should the Trail Blazers trade their 2022 first-round draft pick?. light. Related Story

Norman Powell may also return from his COVID vacation against the Orlando Magic tonight, but Cody Zeller and Larry Nance, Jr. remain out. And while Anfernee Simons and Jusuf Nurkic have stepped up their play in the absence of the Blazers’ two megastars, the Blazers seemed destined for the 2022 draft lottery.

It’s somewhat fortunate as it’s the only way they’ll keep this year’s pick; should Portland somehow miraculously claw their way into the playoffs, their first-rounder will go to Chicago as part of last year’s swap of the Juniors, Larry Nance and Derrick Jones.

Three wins in the past four games may have momentarily delayed the Blazers’ descent into Tankville, but any chance of making a significant playoff run disappeared with the first incision into Lillard’s gut last Thursday.

Recent lottery experience has been pleasant for the Blazers, as they snapped up McCollum 10th overall in 2013 and Lillard 6th the year before. But their stewardship of top picks hasn’t always been so responsible.

Let’s take a look at the five worst draft picks in Portland’s long and mostly proud history: