3 questions for the Portland Trail Blazers if the season is over
Is it time to explore the market on CJ McCollum?
Another down year for Portland means another down year for the Lillard-McCollum backcourt.
The two star guards both signed extensions just one month apart in 2019 for nearly $300 million.
At some point, the front office and coaching staff will have to determine what the ceiling of this duo is. If they deem it no further than we’ve already seen, the logical move may be to trade McCollum for more pieces to place around Lillard to lead.
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The rumors have long been circling the shooting guard, and the market would no doubt be vast. McCollum posted 22.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists this year in 62 games. Teams like the Philadelphia 76ers or Brooklyn Nets would both make sense as potential partners.
Portland could target either multiple youth and draft picks or rotational players to fill out what will be a rehabbing roster at two important positions: guard (Rodney Hood) and center (Jusuf Nurkic).
But is it the right move? Or should Portland maintain their current direction, and settle for plateauing every year in the first and second rounds of the postseason?
It’s a hard decision assuredly, and one that could alter the franchise’s future. But until they make a decision on McCollum’s future, the Trail Blazers’ fate will remain a question mark.