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The Portland Trail Blazers’ season has come to an end after round one, but the trade rumors are already out in full force. When it comes to speculation, CJ McCollum’s name has once again taken center stage.
McCollum, alongside Damian Lillard, is a crucial ingredient to the dynamic offense that the Blazers’ backcourt produces. Despite McCollum’s standing with the team, fans and pundits have often speculated on what a trade would look like with the former Lehigh star as the center piece. That noise has only gotten louder in recent days.
Earlier in the week, McCollum responded to a message posted by former Blazer’s Edge editor David MacKay on social media. Here is the initial tweet from MacKay:
McCollum has seen trade rumors almost his whole career, not because he is problematic (though I concede size/defense as a suboptimal fit), but b/c Portland's trade chips of any real return value have long been:
— David MacKay (@DavidMacKayNBA) June 9, 2021
Lillard: Off the table
McCollum: Reasonable yield
Everyone else: Oof
McCollum responded from his own twitter account, seemingly understanding that the talk surrounding a trade involving him is just “part of life when you play this sport.”
I’m not offended brotha. I came from nothin. To more than something. I work hard, show up and do my job to the best of my ability. Everyone has a right to their own opinion. Even if that means they want to see me traded. It’s a part of life when you play this sport. Blessings. https://t.co/aEPuOnSpNC
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) June 9, 2021
The Blazers and coach Terry Stotts parted ways last week. Following Portland’s early exit from the postseason, it would not be surprising if more changes are in the works.