Trail Blazers Preview: Shooting Guard Rotation
Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum (3) in front of guard Allen Crabbe (23). Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Join Rip City Project as they preview the Trail Blazers’ roster position by position. Today’s post features the shooting guard rotation.
Training camp has officially started, so Rip City Project is working through Portland’s roster to get everyone up to speed on the new squad heading into the 2016-17 season. The Trail Blazers are extremely deep this year, and the shooting guard position happens to be one of their most impressive positions.
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This group is filled with familiar faces, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been a change in their roles since last year. An increase in pay and experience likely means that there will be an increase in responsibility. C.J. McCollum will no longer have the luxury of being an unknown, as nearly every opposing scouting report will have his name near the top of the list. Allen Crabbe will also experience a change in expectations. His massive pay raise has transformed him from a feel-good second round pick into a player that must live up to his price tag.
The players in this post are listed as shooting guards, but that doesn’t mean that they’ll be limited to just that position over the course of the season. Other players outside of the following slides may find themselves playing in the backcourt as well, but they will be covered in a later (or previous) post. With all of that being said, let’s now jump into the shooting guard rotation for the the Trail Blazers.
Sep 26, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum (3) poses during media day at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
C.J. McCollum
20.8 PPG / 4.3 APG / 3.2 RPG / .448 FG% / .417 3P%
It will be tough for McCollum to follow up on his impressive 2015-16 campaign, but moderate growth should be expected from Portland’s second leading man. The best way for him to improve upon last year is by raising his efficiency. Evan Turner‘s ability to lead the second unit should allow McCollum to find better looks away from the ball. This will likely have an adverse effect on his assist numbers, but an improved percentage from beyond the arc will be happily accepted.
One of the biggest things facing the Trail Blazers’ future is the question surrounding the current backcourt’s ability to hold their own on defense. Offense will never be problem for Damian Lillard and McCollum, but they were routinely torched by opposing teams throughout last season. Wesley Matthews worked well next to Lillard because it allowed Terry Stotts to use a wide array of cross-matches. If McCollum continues to improve on defense – it could allow the Trail Blazers to use him in a similar fashion.
Sep 26, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Allen Crabbe (23) poses during media day at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Allen Crabbe
10.3 PPG / 1.2 APG / 2.7 RPG / .459 FG% / .393 3P%
Crabbe has over 75 million reasons to be happy when he hits the court this year, but he will also face the added pressure of increased scrutiny. Going from a second round draft choice to a player on a lucrative contract can be a tough transition. Luckily for Crabbe and the Trail Blazers, a winning culture predicated on hard work is in place.
As we mentioned in the previous slide, defense is a huge concern when it comes to the backcourt. Crabbe will likely be asked on a nightly basis to help solve that problem, as he has proven to be a willing defender since arriving in Portland. Regardless of his ability to crack the starting lineup, expect the former Cal guard to play a sizable role with the second unit.
It would be nice to see Crabbe create a little more offense for himself and his teammates over the course of the 2016-17 season. This will be dependent on who is joining him on the court, but finding a way to get closer to the basket should raise his scoring numbers once again.
Sep 26, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Potland Trail Blazers guard Pat Connaughton (5) poses during media day at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Pat Connaughton
1.1 PPG / 0.9 RPG / .265 FG% / .238 3P%
Pat Connaughton‘s unimpressive stats are a product of him only seeing the court in 34 games during last season, so it should be taken with a grain of salt. He did receive ample playing time for the Trail Blazers in Las Vegas over the summer though. The results from Summer League were a mixed bag for the former Notre Dame star, as he was far from a model of consistency. He connected on a thrilling sudden death shot in overtime, but for the most part he did little to salvage Portland’s forgettable trip to Sin City.
The window for Connaughton to prove himself is still open, but the clock is ticking. He has the athletic ability to be an impact player in the NBA, but he needs to prove he is worthy of consistent minutes. Unfortunately for Connaughton, the Trail Blazers currently have one of the deepest rosters in their history.
It might be a wise move for the Trail Blazers to explore sending Connaughton to the D-League for some added court time, but the team seemed reluctant to do so during the 2015-16 season. Another year of inactivity could lead to him exploring his options in the MLB.