The Portland Trail Blazers have a lot of questions to answer in the offseason. First, they need to find a new coach and then, they need to assess their roster and evaluate several moves.
Damian Lillard has reportedly grown tired of losing in the playoffs and, even though he’s repeatedly stated his desire to stay with the Blazers forever, we know how these things often go in the NBA.
Jabari Young of CNBC recently reported that Lillard could use a wait-and-see approach regarding his future and that the moves they do this offseason could pretty much seal his fate with the organization:
“Lillard and his agent, Aaron Goodwin, could easily change that tone, though. A person close to Lillard told CNBC that he’s expected to wait to see what the Blazers do this off-season before deciding his future,” stated the report.
One of the biggest and more obvious questions is what’s going to happen with CJ McCollum. While he’s a good player, it’s clear that the Blazers’ backcourt needs to change. Their defense together is below subpar and staggering their minutes in the offense hasn’t done much to fix their dependence on Damian Lillard.
According to the report, should the Blazers decide to move on from McCollum, the Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, and Miami Heat could be potential destinations for him:
“A rival NBA agent, who faced a similar situation with a star player, said Lillard could first gauge how serious ownership is about winning. The Blazers’ willingness to pay into the luxury tax, which carries steep financial penalties, is also a factor. The Cleveland Cavaliers were mentioned as one possible destination for McCollum. The San Antonio Spurs like McCollum, but his name hasn’t gained traction within their trade scenarios. A Western Conference executive floated the idea of the Clippers trading Paul George this summer if the team failed to meet expectations. Hence, a possible McCollum to the Clippers package. And if Miami can’t lure a Lillard deal, McCollum could be an option there, too,” Young concluded.
McCollum is a very good player but he’s not the guy the Blazers need next to Lillard right now, so it seems like his days at RIP City are numbered.
