I think what you overlooked is the Blazers are getting a player in the trade for CJ that can give you more from the 3 spot. It's not just replacing CJ with Edwards ... and Edwards does have elements to his game that probably would improve the team within a couple of years ... it's that you are making the team considerably better at two positions combined rather than one. Edwards' upside is that of a multi-year all-star, too, where CJ's is a very good player just below the threshold of all-star.
I wonder if we were to get Booker we can do cj and Whiteside for booker and Baynes. Obviously both Whiteside and Baynes need to be resign but I think that’s a good trade. I give them a lottery protected 1st too.
I'm not convinced Edwards is going to be better than CJ. I see the upside potential but I prefer my shooting guards to actually be able to shoot.
There are 3 reasons CJ won't be traded. 1) His personal relationship with Dame. 2) Olshey's apparently inflated view of his value. 3) His contract. The team would likely have to choose between getting a comparable talent or a less burdensome contract. What team would give us both, let alone an upgrade in talent?
No chance in hell. Also, how are both teams trading free agents? Also, why would Phoebix want Whiteside when they have Ayton?
I don't think CJ's relationship with Dame is truly extraordinary. I've listened to CJ's podcast, and he clearly likes and respects Dame, but so does most of the league. Dame hates trading anybody, but he's also smart enough to realize CJ probably never reaches his potential playing as Dame's second fiddle. CJ needs to be on a team where he's the primary shot creator from the guard postions. Olshey clearly overvalues him. I was hoping he'd trade CJ 3 years ago, and really have ever since. In terms of contract, yeah, I don't see us getting a fantastic deal in exchange. I think it's certainly possible, though, that there's a 6'7 to 6'9 guy out there whose skills better align with our needs who is similarly overpaid. Tobias Harris is the obvious choice.
Yes, it would have to be a bad contract for bad contract challenge trade, much like the Warriors trading D'Angelo Russell for Andrew Wiggins (and, of course, a likely extremely valuable draft pick but I don't think that would be happening in a CJ trade). Wiggins fit better for Golden State and they believed they could better unlock his potential than Russell's.
So far, they've been right. Only three games, but he's been hyper-efficient. Of course they've lost all 3, but that's to be expected.
Yes, and it seems like his defense has been pretty solid. At least, that's what a couple of articles have said--I haven't watched him play for Golden State yet. If they do tap into some large percentage of the potential he was believed to have entering the league, that's going to be pretty scary next year when they have a healthy Curry and Thompson. And whomever they draft near or at the top of the lottery. If the Blazers believe they can pull something similar off, then trading McCollum makes sense. His fit is non-ideal, but he's not a perfect fit with anyone at his size and with his defensive deficiencies. I have less faith in Portland's coaching staff than Golden State's, though...
Got 26 games left to showcase him. If only Dame could just spend the next two months rehabbing his groin strain while CJ takes the lead dog role. Maybe him averaging 28 ppg over the final 1/3 of the season would dramatically increase his trade value.
50/50 chance in that scenario he tanks his value instead. He is a high volume/low efficiency scorer when he has Dame to draw the defensive heat...what is he going to do without Dame for an extended period?
Maybe this has been posted elsewhere, but I just ran across this on some NBA site mentioning 5 trade ideas regarding Embiid. Here is one of them: Embiid to the Blazers for C.J. McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic, Trevor Ariza and two first-round picks We already know that the Blazers are going to have to blow up their star-studded backcourt if they want to be taken seriously in the Western Conference. Even with Damian Lillard putting up some crazy numbers this season, they find themselves at 25-31 and four games out of the No. 8 seed heading into the break. A huge move is needed in the Pacific Northwest. Teaming Lillard up with Embiid would be that move in more ways than one. Talk about an inside-out game to compete with the big boys in the conference. On the other hand, Philadelphia adds an outside scoring threat who is capable of going for 20-plus on a nightly basis. It also picks up a center in Nurkic who was on an upward trajectory prior to suffering a devastating injury back in March of 2019. If he can return to form, this would be a tremendous move.
I’m all for trading CJ I do like him in playoff matchups when you need guys who can create and get their own shot.
