Mailbag: Wesley Matthews’ climb, C.J. McCollum’s return

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"Wes is tearing up the 3 point line. I know he passed Mighty Mouse in 3s as a Blazer, but how close is he to catching the leader? I think he can lead the league in 3s this year too if he keeps shooting like this.Richard W."

Wesley Matthews is currently ranked second in total career threes as a Trail Blazer with 719 (Damon Stoudamire had 717). The Trail Blazers’ all-time leader is Terry Porter with 773. If Matthews continues to average about 2.8 threes per game, he will surpass Porter in late January. He only needs to make about one per game to catch him by the end of the season.

Crazily enough, teammate Damian Lillard (465) is already sixth all-time. He passed Clyde Drexler (464) with his seventh three in that ridiculous game against the Chicago Bulls on Friday. These Trail Blazers are built on shooting threes, more so than ever before, and it shows in the statistics.

As for Matthews leading the league in threes, it is certainly possible, but it will be tough. As of writing, he has made the third most threes in the NBA this season (66), right behind Stephen Curry (71) and Kyle Korver (67), bearing in mind that he has played one less game than both of them. I like to think he has a shot. He finished fifth last year, but has been shooting even more from behind the arc this season.

"So teams can trade players they signed last summer on Monday and I know Lance Stephenson is being shopped. Any chance the Blazers can make a deal? I think he could help off the bench a lot.Bryan M."

That won’t happen. He is owed $18M over these next two seasons and the Trail Blazers would certainly have to part with a starter to a) make the money work and b) get the Hornets to budge on an offer. The Trail Blazers won’t risk their existing chemistry to make that happen or bring on any more guaranteed salary in 2015-16 as they look to keep their most valued free agents next summer.

Nov 11, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Wesley Matthews (2) puts some defensive pressure on Charlotte Hornets guard Lance Stephenson (1) during the fourth quarter of the game at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports

I, personally, don’t want Stephenson anyway. He isn’t performing anywhere near the cost of his contract and he’s too much of a clown for my taste. I do, however, find it amusing that the Pacers are interested. Stephenson could end up right where he started, making less money than they offered him in July, with no choice in the matter.

If the Trail Blazers make a move at all, it will almost assuredly be small time. Players that are seldom used (Victor Claver, Meyers Leonard, Dorell Wright, Thomas Robinson) could be shipped out in a package involving the receipt of second round draft picks and maybe a low-mid tier wing.

"Hey David! Who do you think will get more minutes when CJ returns, him or Crabbe?Whitney S."

That’s actually a pretty tough call. I don’t think C.J. McCollum will get left out by any stretch, but I also don’t think Terry Stotts is going to relegate Allen Crabbe to the end of the bench. We will probably see Crabbe spend time more exclusively at small forward while McCollum reclaims his spot as the first shooting guard off the bench.

We might even see McCollum play against the San Antonio Spurs tonight. He was targeting a December 15^th return last I knew. If that comes to fruition, we’ll get to see how Stotts handles the situation sooner than later. He has been using anywhere from a nine to an 11-man rotation lately, so it would not surprise me to see him make time for both players.