NBA Trade Rumors: 10 players that could be dealt during the offseason

NEW ORLEANS, LA - APRIL 21: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers takes a shot against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of Game Four of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs at the Smoothie King Center on April 21, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - APRIL 21: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers takes a shot against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of Game Four of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs at the Smoothie King Center on April 21, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 23: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers dribbles upcourt during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on December 23, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 23: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers dribbles upcourt during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on December 23, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are a team to watch this summer. They don’t have much salary cap flexibility, but at the same time really need to shake up their roster. And generally, that means a big trade could be on the horizon. For the most part, the core of this team has been maxed out – there’s only so far a tandem of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, with not much else, can take a team.

And that might be the second-round of the playoffs, and posed little-to-no match for a team like the New Orleans Pelicans, who themselves posed no match for the Golden State Warriors. If you do the math, the Blazers are far off from the Warriors. And I’m not sure there’s a move to be had that will shrink that gulf anytime soon.

Since the Blazers won’t trade Lillard – or at least shouldn’t – that means C.J. McCollum is the best asset the team has on the roster, and really the only real trade piece they could use to get anything of substance back.