Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum has seen his name pop up in trade rumors recently after a report surfaced which said the Blazers were willing to trade him to the Philadelphia 76ers in a possible Ben Simmons blockbuster.
But as we know, his relationship with Damian Lillard has always been strong. McCollum reiterated that in a recent interview with The Athletic:
“Me and Dame have a good relationship,” McCollum said. “I think when Dame speaks, you hear him. When you hear ‘sources’ and ‘anonymous’, I don’t necessarily know if that is Dame or not, because it’s not Dame putting his name on it. He generally puts his name on things. I know where he stands with me, and he knows where I stand with him. The Blazers, they need to do what is best for themselves.”
McCollum also knows if Lillard wanted a new running mate, he'd tell him:
“If he wanted me to leave, I think he would say that,” the Blazers veteran said. “He’s not speaking on me behind closed doors because that’s not in his DNA. He’s not built like that. He’s solid, and I know his word is his bond.”
Although Lillard and McCollum are a tantalizing backcourt duo, they've yet to lead the Blazers to the promised land. We know how badly Dame wants to win a title but despite the rumors, he remains committed to Portland, even calling out a recent report which said he was unhappy with the organization and new head coach Chauncey Billups amid their slow start.
A duo of Lillard and Simmons would be tantalizing, but right now, it seems unlikely. CJ and Dame and very close and know exactly how one another operates on the floor. But if the season ends in disappointment once again, a change could happen.
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