With Dame, CJ and good health, Blazers’ outlook bright in ’20-21

Updated 5/15/2020 9:38 PM

Last week, toward the end of a Chicago-based podcast in which I was the guest, I was asked if the Trail Blazers might break up their backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.

My answer was that I didn’t see Lillard — an institution in the Northwest, one of the franchise’s greatest-ever player — going anywhere, but that the Blazers might choose to trade McCollum “at some point” to bolster their talent at the forward spot.

In retrospect, I wish I’d thought the question through a little more.

My answer should have been more like this:

“For the short term, at least, I’m sure Lillard and McCollum are staying put in Portland. They’re the two best players on the team, two of the top 30 or so players in the NBA. While they are a slightly undersized backcourt, and a below-average pair defensively, they’ll on most nights outscore the competition at the guard position. Their intrinsic value in terms of leadership can’t be overstated.

“The Blazers’ biggest problem this season has had nothing to do with the backcourt or lack of production in the frontcourt. Injuries were devastating. Jusuf Nurkic never made it back from his compound leg fracture. Zach Collins (shoulder) and Rodney Hood (knee) were lost for good early in the season. The three combined for 24 games played in 2019-20. The Blazers were never able to overcome that kind of talent drain.”

What should president/basketball operations Neil Olshey do with the roster after this season? Very little. For one thing, he has no choice. The Blazers have the highest payroll in the league this year at more than $137 million — well above both the salary cap ($109.1 million) and past the luxury tax threshold ($132.6 million).

Owner Jody Allen has been generous in allowing Olshey to spend on players, but there won’t be a lot of wiggle room this summer. Even with Hassan Whiteside’s $27-million max contract off the books, Portland’s payroll will be in the neighborhood of $113 million after signing a first-round draft pick, which is just under the projected cap (which could be lowered), with still a player or two to add.

Odds are Whiteside will not be back. Portland could bring him back under the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception (starting at more than $9 million), though that figure may decrease next season for a maximum of three years. They also hold Bird rights for Whiteside, so can pay him up to a max contract if they don’t mind going way over the tax threshold, which they undoubtedly do.

But Whiteside considers himself a starter — as well he should, he could start for most of the teams in the league. He thinks he can play alongside Nurkic in the starting lineup, but that won’t work in today’s fast-paced, shorter-bodied NBA. Whiteside won’t be satisfied to be the projected backup to Nurkic at the center position. Somebody will pay him enough to lure him elsewhere.

Olshey will be fine in simply maintaining the roster. Everyone else in this year’s rotation save for Carmelo Anthony — more on him in a minute — is under contract for next season. Hood may not be ready for the start of the season, but will be at some point.

Coach Terry Stotts has a projected starting lineup that will include Lillard and McCollum at guard, Nurkic at center and Collins and either Hood or Trevor Ariza at forward. Gary Trent Jr. and Anfernee Simons provide good backups in the backcourt. The wild card is whether Anthony returns.

Carmelo told me in January he would prefer to return a Blazer next season.

“I would love to stay,” he said then. “I feel like this is the place for me to end my career. It could have happened earlier, but it didn’t. Now, where I’m at in my life and my career — this is where I want to retire.”

Would Anthony, who turns 36 in May 29, accept the mid-level exception to stay with Portland? Would Olshey want to use his one remaining piece to keep Melo here?

Anthony is the eighth-highest-paid NBA player in history. He has pocketed nearly a quarter-billion dollars through his 18-year career. This season, his contract is for $2.16 million, and he has proved an excellent value, averaging 15.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in 50 games. Maybe money is no object at this point in his career. He has been a good fit this season and would likely draw plenty of minutes at both forward spots next season were he to stay here. That said, Olshey might choose to go in a different direction, with a younger or different kind of player.

Regardless, Stotts will have plenty of talent to work with next season. Regaining the services of Nurkic and Collins is akin to acquiring a pair of veteran starters via trade or free agency. Health permitting — and we learned this season that’s always a big “if” — the Blazers will return to playoff mode and be one of the better teams in the Western Conference in 2020-21.

So I should have said, “No need to trade either Lillard or McCollum, at least yet.”

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