8:53pm: McCollum released an optimistic statement addressing the injury on his personal Instagram page.
7:32pm: Trail Blazers starting shooting guard CJ McCollum has suffered a collapsed right lung, according to a team press release. A CT scan revealed the injury.
Per Portland, McCollum incurred the injury, also known as a pneumothorax, during a 145-117 loss to the Celtics on December 4. The team went on to disclose that McCollum would undergo further testing before a recovery timeline is determined.
The 30-year-old is averaging 20.6 PPG, 4.5 APG, 4.1 RPG and 1.1 SPG across 35.3 MPG for the 11-14 Trail Blazers, currently the N0. 10 seed in the Western Conference and losers of three straight games. McCollum owns a shooting line this season of .424/.393/.700.
Portland is also missing All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, still recuperating from lower abdominal tendinopathy. The 31-year-old is in the first season of a four-year, $176.3MM maximum contract with the Trail Blazers. Lillard will become eligible for a two-year maximum extension to that deal during the 2022 offseason.
McCollum, who has three years and $100MM guaranteed on his deal, has long been considered a viable candidate for a trade to improve the team alongside his All-NBA backcourt running mate. Prior to this injury news, a deal for embattled Sixers All-Star Ben Simmons seemed possible.
This news is very scary for one of the NBA’s most dynamic players. We at Hoops Rumors wish McCollum a speedy and full recovery and can’t wait to see him lighting up box scores very soon.
Good bye trade rumors… For now…
Simmons to Portland was a nightmare waiting to happen. So just as well
Simmons for Lillard still avail.
I hope he does not miss a chance to be a backcourt leader… the injury sounds troubling but IDK. Or it could be a handy excuse for an offyear!
If anyone traded Lillard for Simmons, they should be subject to mandatory drug testing for the rest of their lives. I am a Lakers guy & respect Dame is the TRUTH!
Wait. Do you think McCollum gave himself a collapsed lung on purpose?
He hyperventilated because he pictured the scenario of playing with embiid and never seeing the ball.
Depends. What would Philly want in a trade? Any trade centered around a Simmons for McCollum swap would be a talent loss for them. That means the 76ers will demand financial flexibility along with trade assets. That would include Tobias Harris who’s not worth 34mil AAV. The 76ers could shutdown Embiis and tank. According to TradeMachine, such a deal is possible. If that’s the case, McCollum health is irrelevant.
The old Ben is not coming back to PHI so no talent loss as he is not playing anyway.
Simmons for McCollum hasn’t happened because the 6ers already have that type of player on the roster with Seth Curry,and Curry don’t cost them 30+ mil.They’re both undersized 2 guards that can shoot,run the floor occasionally,and aren’t anything special on the defensive end.
And the Simmons to Portland talk also usually includes Rco….Once again that’s a player that don’t really shift nothing for the 6ers,he don’t really upgrade them over Green or Harris.It’s debatable if he’d even be an upgrade over Niang as a forward off the bench.
Simmons to Portland only makes sense if it involves Dame.
rgreen, I would agree with this post here.
Hope he recovers quickly
Hope CJ gets well soon. Always seemed like a standup guy, and you never want to see anyone go down, but especially people like him.
Get well player …. CJ can definitely help a playoff team. He and Blazers probably need a change.
You have to give it a year though or a really bad contract or two.
best wishes CJ!
Collapsed lung?
That’s what happens when you get stabbed in the back by a teammate.
I hope he gets well and gets traded to a contender.
His team missed their chance to trade him. They were really crazy to think they could start three small guards and be successful
This is typically a two- or three-week injury. They can very well trade him if they wish.
But…Philly in addition to CJ wants Portlands next 10 years of draft capital and pick swaps.
The thing is… Philly doesn’t want CJ
Wishing him a speedy recovery.
Hasn’t he been playing with a back fracture for the past few seasons too?
I was thinking any potential trade could be scuppered by a physical anyway.
Been a rough few days for CJ. I wish him well, I’ve always liked him as a player, I own a CJ McCollum jersey actually.