If I did my math right over the last 5 games he's averaging 32ppg, 9 assists, 48%Fg, 38%3fg. Some of the best numbers of his career, while losing 4 of 5 games.
To me, that is the most important stat. Of course he's going to get is points and some assists (he's getting more than I expected) but I do not see him leading the team, inspiring the team. I see him sitting back and taking lots of shots and playing pretty lackadaisical defense. If anything he strikes me as the good playground pickup ball leader, he'll get his stats and help his mates to a degree, but doesn't really inspire to win. I would hope that this would up his trade value and that Olshey will trade him but my fear is this justifies (in Olshey's mind) giving him that big contract and keeping him around.
He is also shooting about 26 times per game. Nothing more i want is to trade his ass. I have never disliked a player more than CJ. He is actually preventing Dame greatness. Trade CJ
Sure, because the rest of the decimated roster has zero impact on the results. The Blazers are losing because their defense is crap. Opponent after opponent runs up huge success from the three point line. The way the Blazers get lost in their rotations makes it pretty much like practice shots from the three point line for the opponents. CJ is a part of that, but hardly the only culprit.
It's a small sample size, but I think if you put CJ on a team with 2 players who shouldn't be playing in the NBA, 2-3 players who are about a year or more away from being productive players, only 1 player over 6'10", an aging former superstar who plays pretty much 0 defense, an aging so-so SF who is inconsistent, and a 2nd year guard to join in the back court, I'm sure that team would suck too.
Pretty much, although Harkless and Aminu were better defensively than what we’re getting out of Carmelo and Ariza. The Blazers winning is predicated on out-scoring the opposition. Without Nurk, Collins, and Hood they’re too thin and reliant on young players. Without Dame, it’s hopeless.
The difference between Dame and CJ. When CJ was out this year and last part of last we still continue to win and the other way around its not so good. My reason one is a leader and the other is not. CJ going get his shots up ever game this won't change it doesn't matter if we win or loose. Dame finds ways to win by impacting the game by making money plays and CJ sometimes does but majority times doesn't. I put CJ and Whiteside in the same catogery. Both can put the stats but don't make a lot of impact plays that's change the game around. Yes Whiteside get a lot of blocks in games but I also see go right by him for dunks and layins at that means he only challenging the the shot at the rim 10 percent of the time. This means they not scared to go in there with Whiteside. Now with Nurk and Zach I see them challenge if they are in the area I also see players change there minds when they get that far about shooting with Nurk and Zach. Some will say look at the stats but sometimes you need throw stats out of the window and watch how players impact the game in certain ways.
Yeah, because if Dame was playing with the same supporting cast and no CJ would you expect to lose 4 of 5?
CJ is an excellent primary offensive talent, but much less effective without the ball in his hands. While to some extent that's true of other players, CJ isn't so good that other great players (like, say, Lillard) should play off him dominating the ball. He's not a James Harden or Chris Paul level talent. While their games are very different, to me CJ is a bit like a Russell Westbrook--great individual offensive talent but not very good playing alongside better players and not good enough to be the best player on a championship team (I think that would be a minority opinion, but I'm less high on Westbrook than most people). If either CJ or Lillard could learn to be as dangerous a threat off the ball as Steph Curry can be, they could work as a duo offensively (I still think defensive issues would sink them, though), but I don't see that happening and, given that, Lillard is the one who should dominate the ball. He's a championship-level central hub, McCollum isn't. If Portland can find a team that would pay superstar or even star prices for CJ based on what he's doing without Lillard, they should jump on that immediately. But I suspect other teams have the same evaluation of CJ that I do, which would limit his value in trade.
Reminds me of Westbrook. Puts up numbers but it doesn’t feel like the offense gets in a rhythm. The assists are misleading because he’s got the ball in his hands literally every possession. Good thing it’s not his full time job.
He has done this before. CJ does fine when he's the lead guy. But it further enforces in my mind that they're better apart than together.
And that would be false as McCollum has missed 4 games this year and the team is 1-3 with the only win being against the GSW by 5 at home in overtime and no Draymond Green.
