this seems to be a common narrative: CJ is just struggling right now with his shooting in that case, it's really worth noting that last season, CJ's TS% was .536, this season it's .537. Last season, CJ's eFG% was .506 while this season, it's .508 in other words if CJ is in a shooting slump, it's a 120 game shooting slump. That seems a bit long doesn't it? I don't think CJ is really struggling...that's just convenient cover the media is buying. I think it's just that more and more people have come to recognize how limited CJ's game is and how little impact it has, even when he's shooting well. He's above average as a player, but he sure as hell isn't all-star material as so many Blazer fans have assumed for so long. He's been apportioned too high a percentage of Portland's possessions and too high a percentage of Portland's salary cap. His talent doesn't warrant either portion but that's the situation Olshey has forced PS: I also think as Nurkic has developed and become the obvious 2nd best player on Portland, CJ's flaws are put into contrast. If he was as good as the front office has held him up as, the Blazers would actually be contenders. By that I mean if it was Dame-Paul George-Nurkic or Dame-Kawhi-Nurkic, Portland would be a couple of tiers better than they are. But no, CJ was held as "untouchable" in those trade talks if the rumors are true
Ugh. So Jason finally asks Stotts some "tough" questions, and they're all about CJ?! I get it, CJ isn't playing well, many feel he doesn't fit well next to Dame, etc, etc. But, pinning all of this on CJ is completely and utterly moronic...and oh so very typical of Jason Quick. CJ is the LEAST of our problems. Also, I found this sentence to be fucking laughable: Oh really? So Seth's "recent spikes" are contributing more than CJ's "occasional outbursts"? Seth Curry, who has scored greater than 10 points only 5 times this season, is contributing more to the team than CJ who has only scored less than 10 points in one game? @JasonQuick - next time you think you're a big boy, try asking the coach about the underlying problems that have been recurring for the past half decade.
Right?! It's really not that difficult. You're already a better coach than Stotts! Congratulations! Can we get a new coach yet?
Yes. It's why every big organization has an entire PR department. All organizations want to be able to control their image in the media.
Where else does it happen in the NBA? No way a team in a bigger market would get away with that kind of lid. Most teams don’t have full control of their own broadcasts, do they?
Oh, by "anywhere else" I thought you meant in general rather than in the NBA. As far as I know the NBA - not the teams - own the broadcasts.
Good post. I'm guilty of not following the Blazers as closely this year, and repeating the narrative I've heard so often in these forums. Thanks for straightening me out.
Well said. If this truly is the case and its not a slump, and CJ isn't as good as he is made out to be, he needs to be traded before other teams figure it out.
