The Portland Trail Blazers somehow already have Damian Lillard back on their roster after two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. Could CJ McCollum be next to complete the dream backcourt reunion?
The former Blazers star now finds himself in Atlanta, as McCollum was included in the blockbuster deal that sent Trae Young to the Washington Wizards. Because of the timing of that deal, McCollum can't be packaged in another deal prior to the Feb. 5 deadline.
It's also unlikely the Blazers figure out a one-for-one swap that appeals to Atlanta. McCollum is owed $30.7 million this season, meaning Portland's only options would be sending one of Jerami Grant or Jrue Holiday.
Part of Atlanta's motivation for shipping Young was to preserve financial flexibility and proactively avoid his massive $49 million player option for next season. Holiday and Grant aren't that expensive, but they have an additional year with $37.2 million and $36.4 million player options in 2027-28, respectively.
Could the Blazers ever bring back CJ McCollum?
Still, the Blazers don't necessarily need a trade to make this reunion work. McCollum is set to hit free agency this summer, and the idea of pairing up with Dame and a competitive Blazers team could be appealing to him. Lillard's decision to return to Portland was partly a basketball move, as he saw that the current Blazers roster finally had the pieces he previously needed to make a deep playoff run.
The undersized, offensive-minded backcourt duo of Dame and CJ didn't equate to much postseason success, but things would be very different this time around. Between Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan, and others, Portland has the defensive pieces in place to compensate for any defensive limitations. The Blazers could also desperately use the shooting boost from both players.
The Blazers have made tremendous strides toward returning to playoff relevance this year, but next season is when everything clicks. They'll have a healthier roster overall -- including Dame's return -- and continued progress from their young core, which is collectively starting to enter its prime. From that standpoint, it doesn't sound so crazy to add CJ as a reliable bench option, even if he doesn't fit the rebuilding timeline at 34 years old.
During his time with the Wizards, he proved that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank, averaging 18.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on 45/39/80 shooting splits. Portland moved Jerami Grant to a bench role this season because he's the only one capable of providing that scoring punch they need. But a veteran bench consisting of Dame-CJ-Grant sounds like more than enough offense.
Most importantly, bringing McCollum into the picture wouldn't hurt the development of their young core. Portland could still start and prioritize their youth, just with another veteran who can help reliably space the floor. The exact reasons the Blazers brought in Lillard and Holiday could apply to bringing in CJ.
Whether the Blazers and McCollum have mutual interest remains to be seen. Portland hasn't had a roster at full strength to properly evaluate its needs, while McCollum is just settling into his new home in Atlanta.
But with the direction Portland's rebuild is headed, this dream reunion suddenly doesn't sound so far-fetched.