Former Portland Trail Blazers star CJ McCollum is set to hit free agency. That potentially opened the door for a Dame-CJ reunion in Portland to finish what they started with a roster that's finally better equipped for postseason success.
The Blazers certainly could use McCollum's scoring and playmaking off the bench, given how defensive-minded and offensively limited their second unit is. They even have the $15 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception available to use on a free agent, which could've been in McCollum's price tag range at age 34.
CJ McCollum isn't a realistic free agency option for Portland
Unfortunately, Blazers fans excited about the possibility of a McCollum reunion must temper expectations. HoopsHype's Michael Scotto has recently reported that the Atlanta Hawks want to bring back McCollum. He adds that the veteran guard is projected to sign a deal worth around $20 million annually, which would be outside Portland's range.
"Atlanta hopes to retain CJ McCollum, league sources told HoopsHype. Meanwhile, the Hawks are figuring out what to do with their $24.3 million team option decision on Jonathan Kuminga and whether to retain him or gauge the trade market on him. As previously reported by HoopsHype, Atlanta wants to re-sign McCollum in free agency. Currently, McCollum is projected to re-sign with the Hawks for an average annual salary around $20 million, HoopsHype has learned."
Atlanta shipped Trae Young to the Washington Wizards at the deadline, which left a massive void in their backcourt. McCollum exceeded expectations, addressing those concerns and proving to be the perfect stopgap solution.
McCollum is thriving with the Atlanta Hawks
In that 41-game stretch with the Hawks, McCollum averaged 18.7 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game. He was also a playoff riser, leading the Hawks to two wins in their first-round series against the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks.
Unfortunately, those playoff heroics may have come at Portland's expense, as a reunion has now become increasingly unrealistic.
Now, Atlanta has the No. 8 overall pick in what is projected to be a strong and guard-heavy lottery. They are in a prime position to retain McCollum while drafting his successor, whether that's Mikel Brown Jr., Darius Acuff Jr., Keaton Wagler, Brayden Burries, or Kingston Flemings.
Similarly, Portland is embracing a two-timeline approach of its own in the backcourt. Veteran stars Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday will help the Blazers in the short term as they look to build off their postseason appearance. They'll also provide leadership to mentor the next wave of guards, recent top-ten picks Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson.
Adding McCollum into the equation may have created a logjam, but it remains to be seen whether that would've been a luxury or a necessity. There are still question marks surrounding the Blazers' backcourt: Holiday's future as a potential trade candidate this summer, what level Lillard will return to post-Achilles injury, and whether Sharpe and Henderson reach their potential to become more consistently impactful players.
Having McCollum would've given Portland insurance for all these unanswered questions, but at least he's thriving in his new home, which seems set to become a more permanent one.
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