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Portland Trail Blazers: 25 Best Players To Play For The Trail Blazers

By Phil Watson

Oct 29, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; A general view during a game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; A general view during a game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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CLEVELAND, UNITED STATES: Portland Trail Blazers guard Scottie Pippen (L) works against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Andre Miller (R) during the first quarter, 07 January, 2002 at Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Portland defeated Cleveland 98-72. (DAVID MAXWELL/AFP/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, UNITED STATES: Portland Trail Blazers guard Scottie Pippen (L) works against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Andre Miller (R) during the first quarter, 07 January, 2002 at Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Portland defeated Cleveland 98-72. (DAVID MAXWELL/AFP/Getty Images) /

Just as training camp was beginning in October 1999, the Portland Trail Blazers made a splash, acquiring Scottie Pippen from the Houston Rockets in exchange for Stacey Augmon, Brian Shaw, Carlos Rogers, Walt Williams, Kelvin Cato and Ed Gray.

Pippen was on the downside of his career, but was still an All-Defensive selection in 1999-2000.

POR_16_PIPPEN
POR_16_PIPPEN /

But he was slowed by nagging injuries over his final three seasons with the Blazers and left to return to the

Chicago Bulls

as a free agent in July 2003.

In four seasons in Portland, Pippen averaged 11.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals in 32.3 minutes per game, shooting .440/.319/.757.

Pippen did enough at Central Arkansas, then an NAIA school, to attract the attention of pro scouts, averaging 23.6 points and 10.0 rebounds per game as a senior.

Pippen was the fifth overall pick oby the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1987 NBA Draft and was traded to the Bulls on draft night.

A seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection and eight-time All-Defensive pick with Chicago, Pippen was part of six NBA championship teams before he was traded to the Rockets in January 1999.

He retired in October 2004 and is 42nd in NBA history with 1,178 games, 25th with 41,069 minutes played, 31st with 6,135 assists, sixth with 2,307 steals and 14th with an average of 2.0 steals per game.

Pippen was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.

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