3 keys to unlocking the Portland Trail Blazers roster

2. CJ McCollum needs to focus more on playmaking for the bench

Since Nassir Little’s playmaking isn’t a strength or an asset that the Portland Trail Blazers can guarantee will develop in time, they need a contingency plan for a table-setter for the bench.

That role would have to go to either CJ McCollum or Norman Powell. Neither of the two guards are known for their passing, but one of them is clearly the better option.

Powell has been identified as the better fit in the backcourt next to Dame with his defense, ability to score without the ball, and slasher mentality. That along with his lack of court vision, appoints CJ by default to be the requisite facilitator for the bench until the Blazers add one or Little/Simons becomes one.

The Blazers didn’t have a backup point guard last season either and their solution was to stagger Lillard and McCollum’s minutes together; one of them acting as the primary ballhandler at all times.

That led to a career-high 4.7 assists per game for CJ last year. Now, with a full season with Norm onboard, the Blazers will need McCollum to focus on his playmaking even more.

He’s more than capable of creating for others—evidenced by his 8.3 assists per game in Damian Lillard‘s six game absence in 2020-2021 according to statmuse. McCollum won’t accept a bench role and it would be counterproductive overall to ask him to considering how well the starting lineup performed despite their size deficiency. Nevertheless, CJ will basically have to fill a sixth man role until one of the Blazers youngsters steps up as one.