Ultimate 5: The best Trail Blazers lineup since '95

While hoops remain on hiatus, theScore's NBA editors will be compiling ultimate starting lineups for each team in the association. The catch: Only players who've been in the league since the 1995-96 season can be included.

Hindsight is a Portland Trail Blazers fan's worst enemy. From selecting Sam Bowie before Michael Jordan to drafting Greg Oden ahead of Kevin Durant, supporters aren't short on major decisions they'd love to overwrite.

But despite some brutal choices, the Trail Blazers have quietly been one of the most consistent franchises since the mid-'90s. Over the last 25 seasons, Portland has failed to make the playoffs just seven times thanks to a compendium of undeniable talent on the roster.

Guard

Damian Lillard

Opponents who allow the Trail Blazers to stay within reach during "Dame Time" are often in for a world of trouble. But beyond his clutch exploits, Lillard has carried the Blazers for the majority of his career, recording 24 points, 6.4 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game and shooting 37.1% on threes across eight seasons.

Still yet to enter his 30s, the No. 6 overall pick of the 2012 draft has already solidified himself as a Trail Blazers legend. Lillard's 14,586 total points rank second in franchise history behind only Clyde Drexler, though he has plenty of time to overtake "The Glide" after committing to Portland on a super-max extension through 2024-25.

Guard

Brandon Roy

Roy's electric yet short-lived career is another poignant entry in the Trail Blazers' cacophony of what-ifs. He was a sublime scorer with a penchant for coming through in the game's biggest moments, but a degenerative arthritic condition in his knees limited him to just six NBA seasons. Even so, his first four years with Portland were enough to prove that the club had landed someone special.

Beyond three All-Star nods, exciting buzzer-beaters, and 19 points per game, Roy was fundamental in improving Portland's public image when the team needed it most; his combination of talent, flair, and leadership helped the franchise shed its notorious "Jail Blazers" reputation that was established in the early 2000s.

Forward

Scottie Pippen

He wasn't the same Pippen who became an unexpected star with the Chicago Bulls, but the small forward was still incredibly effective across four seasons in Portland. Pippen averaged 11.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and five assists in 272 games with the Trail Blazers - marks well below his prime - but was exceptional defensively.

His impact on the club was felt immediately. During his first season in town, Pippen helped the Trail Blazers take the Los Angeles Lakers to seven games in the Western Conference finals, where a historic fourth-quarter collapse was all that kept Portland from reaching the NBA Finals. Pippen was great in those seven games, too, averaging 15.1 points, nine rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.6 steals.

Forward

LaMarcus Aldridge

Aldridge was far from just Lillard's running mate throughout his nine years in Portland, as he was also one of the best power forwards in the league. The only thing missing was playoff success, as the Trail Blazers won just one series during Aldridge's tenure. However, they couldn't have asked for much more from him, especially in the 2014 playoffs when Aldridge averaged 26.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.

Now 34, Aldridge has continued to produce with the San Antonio Spurs but is apparently still fond of Portland. He told NBA.com's Michael C. Wright last month that he'd be fine with returning to finish his career there.

Center

Arvydas Sabonis

After being selected with the 24th pick in the 1986 draft, Sabonis didn't play for the Trail Blazers until 1995. In that nine-year span, the Lithuanian icon carved out one of the greatest European careers of all time. He also helped the Soviet Union, and later Lithuania, medal in several international competitions, which included claiming gold at the 1988 Olympic Games.

But Sabonis isn't listed here due to his accolades before joining the Trail Blazers. The 7-foot-3 Hall of Famer was also a force with Portland despite being on the wrong side of 30 and already having a notable injury history by the time he entered the NBA. In his first six seasons, he averaged 13.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, was recognized as one of the best centers in the league, and helped the Trail Blazers reach the conference finals twice.

Just Missed

CJ McCollum

While McCollum has done a stellar job manning Portland's backcourt alongside Lillard, it still feels like too soon for him to unseat Roy as the Trail Blazers' best two-guard since 1995, especially when factoring in the latter's overall impact on the franchise.

McCollum isn't far off, though. Since 2015-16, when his remarkable upturn saw him named Most Improved Player, McCollum has put up 21.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting a hair under 40% from deep. If he maintains those numbers, he'll edge out Roy for the starting spot.

Zach Randolph

Randolph's peak in Portland lasted just four seasons, but those seasons were excellent. After becoming a permanent starter, he was a 20-10 machine from 2003-07.

Much like McCollum, Randolph was named the league's Most Improved Player following a massive third-year jump. But like McCollum with Roy, Z-Bo is blocked here by Aldridge, who simply had a more profound impact on the Trail Blazers franchise.

Rasheed Wallace

Before heading to the Detroit Pistons and helping them capture their first championship in 14 years, Wallace emerged as a star in Portland. He averaged 16.8 points, seven rebounds, and two assists per game while shooting 33.5% from deep - a more-than-respectable mark for a power forward at the time. He was a tenacious defender, too.

Wallace's biggest flaw may have been his on-court temper. His 41 technical fouls racked up in 2000-01 are still by far the most ever received by one player in a single season.