Report: Some NBA executives view C.J. McCollum as a ‘negative trade asset’

The Portland Trail Blazers’ 2021-22 season has not gone as planned.

The team has dealt with injuries to key players as well as COVID-19 issues, and as a result, Portland is just 14-23 on the season.

Many Blazers fans would like to see some changes made, even if that means trading away a star player. However, when it comes to C.J. McCollum, the guard is apparently viewed as a “negative trade asset” by some executives around the NBA.

“Some executives around the league view McCollum as a negative trade asset, one the Blazers would need to send with compensation to get him off the team’s books,” wrote Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

McCollum is currently sidelined due to a lung issue. He appeared in 24 games this season before the setback.

The 30-year-old is averaging 20.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game so far in the 2021-22 campaign. He’s shooting 42.4 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Many folks feel that Portland’s backcourt duo featuring McCollum and Damian Lillard isn’t going to get the organization over the hump. It remains to be seen whether or not the Blazers will break up that pairing.

Since McCollum broke into the NBA in the 2013-14 campaign, the Blazers have made the playoffs every season. However, the team hasn’t been able to reach the NBA Finals, and first-round exits have been a common occurrence.

Portland is still trying to win its first NBA title since 1977. Only time will tell if the organization can get the job done in the near future.