1976 Expansion Draft Selections
The moment defending champions lost Sidney Wicks to the new Seattle SuperSonics.
The 1976 NBA Expansion Draft stands as a pivotal, albeit bittersweet, chapter in Portland Trail Blazers history. Just two years after securing their first and only NBA Championship, the franchise faced the sudden arrival of the Seattle SuperSonics and the Cleveland Cavaliers. This event forced Portland to protect its core while navigating the league's mandate to distribute talent to new teams.
- Event Type
- NBA Expansion Draft
- Year
- 1976
- New Teams Involved
- Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Key Player Lost
- Sidney Wicks
- Historical Context
- Post-Championship Rebuilding
Lore & Background
The most significant casualty for Portland was Sidney Wicks, a power forward who had been a cornerstone of the franchise since its inception in 1970. Known as 'Sid the Kid,' Wicks was an All-Star and a fan favorite whose physical presence defined the Blazers' early identity. While the team managed to protect Larry Jones and other key rotation players, the selection of Wicks by Seattle marked the beginning of the end for the original core that had carried Portland to glory.
In Their Own Story
The air in the draft room was thick with tension as league officials called out names. When 'Sidney Wicks' was finally selected by Seattle, a heavy silence fell over the Portland contingent. It wasn't just a transaction; it felt like losing a brother. The jersey number 24 would soon hang empty in the locker room, a ghost of the championship era that had just begun to fade.
Reader's Guide
The 1976 Expansion Draft was not a single game but a procedural event held on June 23, 1976, where existing NBA teams left players unprotected for selection by Seattle and Cleveland. The key 'play' of this draft was the strategic decision by Portland to protect their championship core while inevitably losing Sidney Wicks to Seattle. Portland's management had to weigh the value of depth against star power. They successfully protected Larry Jones and other contributors, but the league rules forced them to expose players like Wicks. The 'final score' of this event was a weakened roster for Portland heading into the 1976-77 season, which ironically saw them win their only championship despite this loss. This moment remains etched in fan memory because it represented the first major fracture in the team's original identity. Losing Wicks, who had been with the franchise since day one, symbolized the transition from a startup league to an established entity where expansion was inevitable.
Did You Know?
- Sidney Wicks was selected by Seattle SuperSonics in this draft despite being a key part of Portland's recent success.
- The 1976 Expansion Draft occurred just before the Trail Blazers won their historic 1977 NBA Championship.
- Portland managed to protect Larry Jones, who would go on to be a vital role player during the championship run.
- This was one of only two expansion drafts in NBA history where Seattle and Cleveland were simultaneously formed.