Anthony Tolliver sits at his locker quietly sifting through his things, currently losing a game of hide and seek with his gold necklace.



These days, the 34-year-old can get through a postgame relatively unnoticed, as Portland media congregates toward the Damian Lillards and CJ McCollums — and now the Carmelo Anthonys — of the world. After nearly 700 league games played, he isn’t exactly the one people run to for game quotes or explanations, but his memory is still razor-sharp, especially when he recalls those long, depressing nights with Ben McLemore during their lone season together in Sacramento.



By 2016, things were different. Night and day from when McLemore was drafted three years prior. He was their consensus pick, so much so that ownership attempted to move into the top 5, as high as secnd overall to snag him.



“We got the best player in the (draft) at seven,” majority owner Vivek Ranadivé said at...