Probably not, but how many star-level 2Gs are there to worry about in today's NBA? Plus, if your offense is as efficient as the Warriors' and you're winning by 20, does it really matter?
No he can't be a starting SG on a championship team. But if we didn't have Lillard right now, CJ would be the starting point guard on our team. And we'd build around him hoping to create a championship caliber team, because he is indeed a championship level PG. We just already have one of those, so CJ plays SG. Which is why Portland will inevitably trade either CJ or Dame. Probably CJ, because of the cheaper contract and he came here later and teams always hold on to the incumbent, don't they. I love both of our PG's, but you can't win a championship with PG's alone.
The only way they both stay is if Crabbe turns from a good to a great SG and they convince all three to stay as a championship caliber three-guard rotation. Hey, I can dream.
I don't agree at all, but I look at things differently. My answer to this thread? By the time we're ready, CJ will be ready.
I would think it's pretty obvious by now that neither guy is particularly defensive minded and neither guy is so utterly dominant offensively that you can make up for the fact that when they are on the court they give up as much as they produce. I guess in a theoretical future where neither guy is the focal point of team, like say we somehow magically get Ben Simmons and he proves to be the second coming of Lebron, then maybe I'd revise my stance.
It could almost be said that without the supporting group going off some nights (Crabbe, Davis, etc.) along WITH one of Dame and CJ, it puts us at a severe disadvantage. Therein, the supporting cast may be just as important as those two, because of the lack of defense from CJ and Dame. Or am I thinking too deep on that?
Here's a comparison between CJ's current season and one of comparable guards at a comparable age (comparatively speaking): http://bkref.com/tiny/Wxt5g Not particularly encouraging, I'd say.
That's a pretty interesting comparison. Thanks for posting that. Monta's team won 26 games that season. Gordon's won 33. Terry 33. We're on track to win 35 right now, FWIW. So even that is kind of in line with those numbers. I guess the big question is what has CJ got left to show us this year? After all, you are comparing 82 game seasons with McCollum's first 21 games this year. Given that he got so few minutes his first two years, you'd think his numbers in the last quarter of this season would significantly improve with experience over where he is now. If that happens, things might look more favorable. Maybe not though--I did a quick look and all three of those guys put up worse numbers AFTER the All-Star break. *shrug*
I appreciate your environmentalism in recycling that "joke". Don't let the fact that somebody says it at least every other day stop you from reusing it yet again in the future.
I think he can be an elite scorer. Maybe not player, but scorer. Reminds me of Vinnie "Microwave" Johnson.
