page_title: History of the Portland Trail Blazers
section_title: 2012–present
hierarchical_section_title: History of the Portland Trail Blazers / 2005–present / 2012–present
caption_attribution_description: English: Damian Lillard and Nolan Smith of the Portland Trail Blazers
context_page_description: The Portland Trail Blazers are a professional basketball team in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Trail Blazers are currently celebrating their 50th NBA season. The franchise owner is Jody Allen, who assumed ownership upon the death of her brother Microsoft co-founder and Vulcan Inc. chairman Paul Allen, in 2018.
  The Trail Blazers' rallying cry is "Rip City", coined by play-by-play announcer Bill Schonely during their inaugural season. The team holds the NBA record for most consecutive sell-out games - set between April 9, 1977, and November 16, 1995.
  The Trail Blazers have retired several players jerseys, including Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame members Clyde Drexler and Bill Walton. Jack Ramsay, who was the Trail Blazers head coach from 1976 to 1986, had the number 77 retired in honor of Portland's only NBA Finals victory in 1977. Portland has had four NBA Rookies of the Year; Geoff Petrie, Sidney Wicks, Brandon Roy and Damian Lillard. The only NBA Most Valuable Player that earned the award as a member of the Trail Blazers was Bill Walton in 1978.
context_section_description: Due to the 2011 NBA lockout, team transactions were on hold until early December and a shortened 66-game schedule was created. On December 9, 2011, pre-season training camp began along with the free agency market. That morning it was made public that Portland's three-time All-Star guard Brandon Roy would retire due to chronic knee problems. Additionally, center Greg Oden was diagnosed with yet another setback involving his ongoing knee issues. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome in 2007, underwent a similar procedure to correct the heart problem after diagnosis earlier that day. Blazers interim GM Chad Buchanan signed three free agents the week before Portland's first exhibition game. On December 11, Portland agreed to terms with veteran forward-center Kurt Thomas to help fill the frontcourt void in the roster. In need of a scoring wingman after the departure of Roy and Fernandez, the Blazers signed 2010 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Winner Jamal Crawford on December 15 by using the new NBA Amnesty Clause on Roy. Later that day, the Blazers signed a third free agent, forward Craig Smith. After getting off to a 7–2 start and recognition as a growing power in the Western Conference, the team quickly began to collapse. Starting point guard Raymond Felton, among others, struggled with McMillan's new approach to a running-style offense. The team gained some notability as Aldridge was named to his first All-Star Game. Despite Aldridge's solid performance, the rest of the team became more inconsistent.
  On March 15, 2012, The Portland Trail Blazers made several moves, including two trades before the 3 pm EST deadline. Center Marcus Camby was sent to the Houston Rockets in exchange for center Hasheem Thabeet and point guard Jonny Flynn. Portland also received Houston's second-round draft pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Portland then traded forward Gerald Wallace to the New Jersey Nets for center Mehmet Okur, forward Shawne Williams, and New Jersey's first-round, top-3-protected pick in the 2012 NBA draft. All four players acquired in the trades held expiring contracts, meaning they would be free agents at the end of the season. Oden was released from the roster after playing a total of 82 games in five NBA seasons, being cut along with Chris Johnson in order to make room for the incoming traded players. Finally, head coach Nate McMillan was also fired, leaving the franchise with the third-most coaching wins, behind Jack Ramsay and Rick Adelman. Portland named Kaleb Canales as the interim head coach for the rest of the 2011–2012 NBA season. A few days later, Portland claimed forward J. J. Hickson off waivers from the Sacramento Kings. After shaking up the roster and limping to the end of the regular season with a 28–38 record and finishing out of playoff contention for the first time in three years, the team entered the offseason on the search for a general manager and new head coach.
  At the 2012 NBA Draft Lottery on May 30, the Blazers secured the number 6 pick of the draft via the Brooklyn Nets from the Gerald Wallace trade, and also ended up with the number 11 pick due to their own record.
  On June 4, 2012, The Portland Trail Blazers announced the hiring of new general manager Neil Olshey, making it just over a year since the Blazers had a non-interim general manager.
  On June 28, 2012, the Blazers selected Weber State guard Damian Lillard and University of Illinois center Meyers Leonard with the 6th and 11th picks overall, respectively. They also selected University of Memphis guard Will Barton with the 40th pick overall, and traded the rights of the 41st overall pick, University of Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor, to the Brooklyn Nets for cash considerations.
  On July 11, 2012, the Portland Trail Blazers announced the signing of their 22nd pick from the 2009 draft, Víctor Claver. On July 12, 2012, the Blazers announced the re-signing of forward J. J. Hickson. On July 13, 2012, the Blazers announced the signing of their 30th pick from the 2006 draft, Joel Freeland.  In free agency, the Blazers re-
caption: Damian Lillard and Nolan Smith during the 2012–13 season. Lillard would go on to be unanimously selected as the NBA Rookie of the Year.
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