Portland Trail Blazers: Predicting starting lineup and rotation for ’22 season

Shooting Guard – CJ McCollum

Backup shooting guard – Anfernee Simons, Norman Powell, Ben McLemore, Tony Snell

McCollum will, for the ninth season, will line up for his seventh consecutive season and ninth overall as the starting shooting guard for the Blazers. For McCollum, after a huge start to the 2021 season and then disappointing playoffs, this is arguably the biggest season of his career.

With trade rumors hanging over his head as his new four-year max extension kicks in, McCollum will be needed more than ever before, to show he is an All-Star caliber player.

As one of the best shooters in the league, fans know he is capable of this level of play, but he must bounce back from the below-average postseason he had in 2021.

Blazers fans can reflect on the 27 points per game that CJ averaged on 41 percent from three in the first few months of the season in 2021, as an example of the higher level that he can attain.

Backing him up will be the improving Simons. Simons was actually the best spot-up shooter in the entire NBA last season with a qualification of 90 or more possessions. With an improved defense, and playmaking he is likely to see more than the 16 minutes per game he had last season.

Though Norman Powell will start at the three, I expect to see some minutes with him at the backup two dependent on matchups and the fitness of his teammates. He is a nice fit next to Lillard and could run certain bigger units depending on the opponent.

Recruit’s Ben McLemore and Tony Snell will likely have some minutes at the backup two, but I don’t expect that many overall to go to Snell. McLemore is more likely to get back up two minutes.