Forum › Forum › Lehigh Sports › Lehigh In The Pros › Portland Trailblazers › Reply To: Portland Trailblazers
I’m sure CJ’s stock is up, but a few things relative to the above:
1. Portland didn’t have an option on Afflalo. It was a player option and thus his decision to leave. Denver traded him to Portland late this season partly because he was a rental player.
2. SG Wesley Matthews is a free agent and is likely leaving. That is a much bigger loss than Afflalo and will have a major impact on CJ’s minutes. Matthews missed the latter part of the season but is supposed to be ready to play at or near the start of the 2015-16 season.
3. On draft night, Portland traded for SG Gerald Henderson Jr., who started for Charlotte the past 4+ years and averaged around 15 ppg. He could well take over as a starter for them at the two, with CJ coming off the bench.
In any event, with Portland losing Aldridge, Batum, Afflalo, Blake, and possibly Robin Lopez, they likely will not be a contender for the next couple years. They probably will make a play for a big-name free agent but could easily come up empty.
