It's time for CJ McCollum to go.

[chris_in_pdx]

It's time. The Blazers have reached their ceiling with two point guards. Whiteside isn't the problem, although his playmaking ability is vastly below that of Nurk. Collins getting injured just exposed the issue with the Blazer's roster. The addition of Bazemore and Hezonja has been a disaster, although I don't think that's necessarily Stotts and Olshay's fault. They were screwed for this season the moment Nurk got injured and couldn't afford Harkless and Aminu. Olshay did what he could with the money he had and it didn't work.

CJ's value is still high after last year's playoffs. They've apparently anointed Ant as Dame's successor, so a big SG plus a servicable PF is what the Blazers desperately need to salvage this season and perhaps the future.

It won't happen because the soccer moms LOOOOOVE CJ, and Portland has historically overvalued it's own fringe-stars and role players because.... free agents won't come here and the Jermaine O'Neal memory is apparently still fresh.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

No--January 29th will be time for CJ to go. Until then, we're stuck with him.

 

[B-Roy]

Players that were traded recently after signing huge contracts:

Blake Griffin
Chris Paul (After a year)
Paul George (After a year)

Really Griffin is the only precedent I can think of off the top of my head. He signed his contract on July 17th and was traded on Jan 29th of the following season.

 

[Scalma]

There’s no way Culture Neil trades CJ a few months after he signed him to an extension. We’re most likely stuck with him for the foreseeable future.

 

[Jon]

There’s no way Culture Neil trades CJ a few months after he signed him to an extension. We’re most likely stuck with him for the foreseeable future.

exactly. we are stuck with the Dame/CJ combo for a long time. Dame doesn't want him to leave, either.

 

[Scalma]

You know what, it’s not even CJ who I hate. It’s Stotts for allowing him free reign and never holding his ass accountable. CJ could still be a useful, albeit overpaid, player if utilized correctly. For example, don’t give him the same number of shots every single game no matter how bad he’s struggling. You have at least two other scorers (Simons and Hood) that can pick up the slack.

 

[hoopsjock]

You know what, it’s not even CJ who I hate. It’s Stotts for allowing him free reign and never holding his ass accountable. CJ could still be a useful, albeit overpaid, player if utilized correctly. For example, don’t give him the same number of shots every single game no matter how bad he’s struggling.

But Stotts has no clue what to do if Dame and CJ aren't creating shots for themselves.

 

[B-Roy]

You know what, it’s not even CJ who I hate. It’s Stotts for allowing him free reign and never holding his ass accountable. CJ could still be a useful, albeit overpaid, player if utilized correctly. For example, don’t give him the same number of shots every single game no matter how bad he’s struggling. You have at least two other scorers (Simons and Hood) that can pick up the slack.

He doesn't run plays very often. The whole offensive system is predicated on freedom and read and react. It's CJ's fault for shooting every time he gets the damn ball in his hands.

 

[Scalma]

But Stotts has no clue what to do if Dame and CJ aren't creating shots for themselves.

What, you’re not a fan of ring around the Rosie until one of them gets a shot off??

 

[Blazers Roy]

Can we get A coach and A Power forward (or two) before we do anything else?

 

[AldoTrapani]

You know what, it’s not even CJ who I hate. It’s Stotts for allowing him free reign and never holding his ass accountable. CJ could still be a useful, albeit overpaid, player if utilized correctly. For example, don’t give him the same number of shots every single game no matter how bad he’s struggling. You have at least two other scorers (Simons and Hood) that can pick up the slack.

its stotts and his best friend Lillard. If that was my homey I’d be like “dude we gotta work on your shot selection man”

I bet he’d be inclined to listen to his peer rather than some old ass dude whose his coach

 

[Scalma]

its stotts and his best friend Lillard. If that was my homey I’d be like “dude we gotta work on your shot selection man”

I bet he’d be inclined to listen to his peer rather than some old ass dude whose his coach

CJ “my percentages will even out because I work hard” McCollum? Yeah, he’s not listening to anyone. He doesn’t get it.

 

[hoopsjock]

What, you’re not a fan of ring around the Rosie until one of them gets a shot off??

What's sad is there were multiple possessions in the 4th quarter where I said to some people sitting around me that CJ will shoot before he even crossed half court with the ball. It's comical how predictable it's become.

 

[hoopsjock]

CJ “my percentages will even out because I work hard” McCollum? Yeah, he’s not listening to anyone. He doesn’t get it.

He just needs to get in the lab and fix his shot.

 

[B-Roy]

What's sad is there were multiple possessions in the 4th quarter where I said to some people sitting around me that CJ will shoot before he even crossed half court with the ball. It's comical how predictable it's become.

Read and react is the perfect offense for him. He can read whatever defense they throw at him and react by shooting.

 

[AldoTrapani]

CJ “my percentages will even out because I work hard” McCollum? Yeah, he’s not listening to anyone. He doesn’t get it.

Then Lillard needs to have him shipped

 

[Scalma]

Then Lillard needs to have him shipped

Olshey should ship him out and not worry about hurting Dames feelings. But it’s not even that, I truly believe Olshey loves CJ. He’s *evidently* refused to put him on the table, even for players much better than him.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

CJ/+ to Orlando

Gordon/Bamba to Portland

 

[wizenheimer]

What's sad is there were multiple possessions in the 4th quarter where I said to some people sitting around me that CJ will shoot before he even crossed half court with the ball. It's comical how predictable it's become.

yep...he just seems to carry himself a little differently when he's absolutely determined to shoot...which is a lot of the time. Very predictable

 

[Scalma]

What's sad is there were multiple possessions in the 4th quarter where I said to some people sitting around me that CJ will shoot before he even crossed half court with the ball. It's comical how predictable it's become.

so genuine question, why doesn’t Stotts do anything about it?

 

[wizenheimer]

Olshey should ship him out and not worry about hurting Dames feelings. But it’s not even that, I truly believe Olshey loves CJ. He’s *evidently* refused to put him on the table, even for players much better than him.

that's what has pissed me off. It's been pretty widely reported that CJ was untouchable when Butler, Paul George and Kawhi were available. It's a terrible overrating of Cj's limited talent and value.

but as Blazer fans, we're stuck with it as long as Olshey is the GM, IMO. Stuck with CJ hogging 26% of the possessions; stuck with him chucking 20 shots a game; stuck with him hogging 25% of the salary cap. Stuck with him being an inadequate 2nd option for a contender. Stuck with him burning thru shot clock with fancy dribbling, obnoxious dribbling; and stuck with his mediocre efficiency. As longs as he's the #2 option in the offense and on the cap, Portland is a pretender

 

[hoopsjock]

so genuine question, why doesn’t Stotts do anything about it?

Two reasons...

1) Stotts only still has his job because Dame vouched for him. Stotts doesn't want to do anything that could possibly lose Dame's loyalty. It's the same reason why Olshey never considered trading CJ.

2) He needs CJ to make tough shots otherwise like right now when CJ is playing horribly inefficient it makes his offense look very mediocre.

 

[BigGameDamian]

CJ/+ to Orlando

Gordon/Bamba to Portland

I heard that Orlando and SAS are in talks about a DeMar DeRozan.

 

[beast blazer]

Stotts gig is ,keep my stars happy so I don't get fired.

 

[blazerfan11]

You know what, it’s not even CJ who I hate. It’s Stotts for allowing him free reign and never holding his ass accountable. CJ could still be a useful, albeit overpaid, player if utilized correctly. For example, don’t give him the same number of shots every single game no matter how bad he’s struggling. You have at least two other scorers (Simons and Hood) that can pick up the slack.

I think you have to include minutes per game and who finishes the game too for accountability.
Right now and probably for years, if Simons is shooting the ball well Stotts only action is to have the 3 guards in the game at the same time, even if Lillard or McCollum aren't shooting the ball well, and we end up with both poorer defense and poorer offense. It's not like there is some great unbeatable chemistry between Lillard and McCollum either.

 

[blazerkor]

I've given up on CJ being traded. Dame and him are redundant and horrible together on defense. That being said, Blazers brass just gave CJ a huge contract extension and I doubt he's a very attractive trade chip now. What we can hope for is Nurk to get back and look good before the trade deadline so we can trade Whiteside's expiring contract and a pick for either Blake Griffin or Kevin Love. This would give our starting lineup extra fire power and our bench more depth.

 

[B-Roy]

I've given up on CJ being traded. Dame and him are redundant and horrible together on defense. That being said, Blazers brass just gave CJ a huge contract extension and I doubt he's a very attractive trade chip now. What we can hope for is Nurk to get back and look good before the trade deadline so we can trade Whiteside's expiring contract and a pick for either Blake Griffin or Kevin Love. This would give our starting lineup extra fire power and our bench more depth.

Griffin was traded for a pretty reasonable haul after signing a 5 year max contract. My only hope is CJ plays well enough over these next few months to garner some trade value.

 

[illmatic99]

Griffin was traded for a pretty reasonable haul after signing a 5 year max contract. My only hope is CJ plays well enough over these next few months to garner some trade value.

Who is the Tobias equivalent that CJ could help bring in? He was putting up 18/5/2 and only 25 yrs old in DET before getting traded.

It was Harris/Bradley/future first (#12, Miles Bridges). That is unbelievable value for Blake, even if he made All NBA the year after.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Who is the Tobias equivalent that CJ could help bring in? He was putting up 18/5/2 and only 25 yrs old in DET before getting traded.

It was Harris/Bradley/future first (#12, Miles Bridges). That is unbelievable value for Blake, even if he made All NBA the year after.

Yeah, but Boban was also part of that deal. We don't have a Boban to offer.

 

[illmatic99]

Yeah, but Boban was also part of that deal. We don't have a Boban to offer.

Boban went from DET to LAC.

Clips included Willie Reed and Brice Johnson (Skal equivalent maybe).