Blazers GM encouraged by feedback from talks with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum

Mark Medina: Blazers interim GM Joe Cronin said he had “multiple long talks” both with Damian Lillard & C.J. McCollum and said he’s “been very encouraged by the feedback.”
Source: Twitter @MarkG_Medina

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

The Ringer @ringernba
💯 The rumors looming over Damian Lillard
💯 Story time: team realtors edition
💯 Real One of the Week
#RealOnes with @Logan Murdock and @Bell19Raja: open.spotify.com/episode/0Mxq62… – 5:20 PM Ethan Strauss @SherwoodStrauss
Woj, Lillard, Olshey and agendas behind ESPN NBA houseofstrauss.substack.com/p/cards-on-the… – 2:10 PM Sean Highkin @highkin
Damian Lillard getting shots up pic.twitter.com/vl7FIocqme – 2:00 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Chauncey Billups on Lillard reiterating he’s committed to Portland and expressing support for him: “It means a lot to me. You’re talking about a first-time head coach that’s going to make multiple mistakes on a nightly basis.” Dame hasn’t changed stance on.nba.com/3EGiPk5 – 1:39 PM Jay Allen @PDXjay
Billups says he can’t believe that Lillard has to keep “professing his love for the organization and city.” – 1:38 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Blazers interim GM Joe Cronin said he has had “constant communications” with Damian Lillard about the roster. – 1:37 PM Jay Allen @PDXjay
Cronin says he can’t comment on a possible extension for Damian Lillard because it’s a violation of the CBA. – 1:37 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Blazers interim GM Joe Cronin on Damian Lillard & C.J. McCollum: “They’re happy with Chauncey and his staff. We know there’s something we need to do with the roster, and we will.” – 1:31 PM Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Blazers interim GM Joe Cronin said he had “multiple long talks” both with Damian Lillard & C.J. McCollum and said he’s “been very encouraged by the feedback.” – 1:30 PM David Aldridge @davidaldridgedc
We’re now going at 4 p.m. Eastern/1Pacific…
Join @Marcus Thompson
and I at 4 Eastern/1 Pacific today for a Live Room on
@TheAthletic app to talk about all things NBA-Curry, Lillard, Pacers trade talk, the hot Rockets & more! Everyone can listen; subscribers can ask questions! – 12:30 PM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Listen to today’s episode of The Starting Lineup with @Frank Isola & @Mitch Lawrence on Pandora!
🏀 Last Night’s Recap!
🎙 Battle of the Broadcasters!
🔊 Latest from Damian Lillard
siriusxm-nba-radio.simplecast.com/episodes/tsl-1… – 11:13 AM David Aldridge @davidaldridgedc
NBA fans: join @Marcus Thompson and I at 3 Eastern/Noon Pacific today for a Live Room on @TheAthletic app to talk about all things Association-Chef Curry, Lillard, Pacers trade talk, the hot Rockets & more! Everyone can listen; subscribers can ask us questions. Join in! – 10:00 AM Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Round 6 MVP: Errick McCollum, Lokomotiv
sportando.basketball/en/round-6-mvp… – 9:28 AM David Aldridge @davidaldridgedc
NBA fans: join @Marcus Thompson and I at 3 Eastern/Noon Pacific today for a Live Room on @TheAthletic app to talk about all things Association-Chef Curry, Lillard, Pacers trade talk, the hot Rockets & more! Everyone can listen; subscribers can ask us questions. Join in! – 9:05 AM Aaron J. Fentress @AaronJFentress
The Blazers have allowed just 184 points in two games against the Clippers and Warriors. Both games played without Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Add their scoring punch to that defensive effort and this team will rack up some wins. Unfortunately, McCollum will be out for a bit. – 12:52 AM NBA Kicks @NBAKicks
👀 @Damian Lillard in the adidas Dame 8! #NBAKicks pic.twitter.com/e4LYS0fn6x – 12:32 AM Aaron J. Fentress @AaronJFentress
I appreciate grit. The Blazers don’t have the talent right now but they have played hard tonight at GSW. I don’t feel like I’m seeing a lot of lazy possessions. Play like this when Lillard returns and next week could see them win 3 of 4. – 12:09 AM Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
Portland without Dame & CJ is essentially NBA Last Chance U. – 12:09 AM Monte Poole @MontePooleNBCS
Curry’s first half:13 points, 4 3-pointers. 12 away from the record
Warriors: 34pct FG, 24pct 3p
Among ugliest halves of basketball they’ve played this season, but they have a 47-45 lead over the Blazers, who are without Dame/CJ – 11:19 PM Jamie Hudson @JamieHudson_
Blazers announce—
Ben McLemore (left hip) and Nassir Little (left ankle) are available.
Cody Zeller (right quad), Anfernee Simons (right ankle sprain), CJ McCollum (right pneumothorax) & Damian Lillard (abdominal tendinopathy) are out for tonight’s game at Golden State – 10:12 PM Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
Blazers star guard Damian Lillard (abdomen) said to @TheUndefeated it’s “possible” he could return to action Sunday against Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/6h4pIA4j9U – 9:34 PM Nick DePaula @NickDePaula
Damian Lillard debuts the Adidas Dame 8 in Blazers colors. 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/CC2rtUdjeM – 9:15 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Damian Lillard tries (again) to make it clear: “I’m not asking for a trade” nba.nbcsports.com/2021/12/08/dam… – 8:09 PM Justin Verrier @JustinVerrier
New Group Chat with @Rob Mahoney and @BigWos talking through the latest chapter in the Damian Lillard saga and our Quarter Awards picks:
open.spotify.com/episode/7adYAD… – 7:59 PM Alan Hahn @alanhahn
Best potential landing spots for Damian Lillard? #NBA
youtu.be/3Tr3KoaytlA – 7:28 PM LeBron James @KingJames
🙏🏾 @CJ McCollum. Get well ASAP bro! – 7:14 PM Ric Bucher @RicBucher
Portland Trail Blazers, franchise cornerstone Damian Lillard facing futures in flux foxsports.com/stories/nba/fr… – 5:12 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Correct me if I’m wrong, but nobody reported that Dame wants a trade yesterday, right? There was definitely speculation, but the reporting was on him wanting an extension and Ben Simmons.
So… today’s kind of a strange day to come out so firmly and say “I don’t want a trade.” – 4:21 PM CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
Damian Lillard injury update: Blazers star could reportedly return Sunday after missing time with ab issue
https://t.co/aKxukQqOwj pic.twitter.com/dux0M602HZ – 4:09 PM Jake Madison @NOLAJake
Locked on Pelicans is live!
🏀 CJ McCollum the missing piece?
🏀 Why the Pels need to stay away from Caris LeVert
🏀 Really go for it with Myles Turner?
🎧 linktr.ee/NolaJake
Watch on YouTube!
📺 bit.ly/LOPYouTube – 4:00 PM Rosalyn Gold-Onwude @ROSGO21
At Trailblazers shootaround today Damian Lillard strongly addressed the rumors and noise:
“I’m not asking for a trade.”
“My intentions are to be in Portland and to figure it out.”
He added he’s in the office w/ Chauncey everyday trying to find solutions, not planning an exit. – 3:44 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Lillard received cortisone injection, could return this weekend nba.nbcsports.com/2021/12/08/rep… – 3:05 PM Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Blazers star Damian Lillard undergoes cortisone procedure to mitigate lingering pain
sportando.basketball/en/blazers-sta… – 3:00 PM David Aldridge @davidaldridgedc
This week’s “Hoops, Adjacent” ep of @AthleticNBAShow w/ @Marcus Thompson features our dude @Jason Quick, who dominates the Blazers beat. On Dame’s future, McCollum trade talk, what Billups can do, why the Olshey Report won’t be made public & more. Listen in!:
theathletic.com/podcast/8-the-… – 2:17 PM Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
Podcast: A look at trade scenarios for Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum, Pacers trio Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, and Caris LeVert. Plus, two new candidates to keep an eye on for Portland’s general manager job with colleague @Yossi Gozlan on @Jorge Sierra. hoopshype.com/lists/podcast-… – 2:01 PM Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard underwent a cortisone injection procedure to the abdominal and could return to action as early as Sunday, league sources tell @YahooSports. sports.yahoo.com/sources-damian… – 1:53 PM Jake Madison @NOLAJake
Locked on Pelicans is live!
🏀 CJ McCollum the missing piece?
🏀 Why the Pels need to stay away from Caris LeVert
🏀 Really go for it with Myles Turner?
🎧 https://t.co/BETlDzBFEv
Watch on YouTube!
📺 https://t.co/4DBES9YyFq pic.twitter.com/SETzVxzVCp – 12:59 PM Jake Madison @NOLAJake
Locked on Pelicans is live!
🏀 CJ McCollum the missing piece?
🏀 Why the Pels need to stay away from Caris LeVert
🏀 Really go for it with Myles Turner?
🎧 https://t.co/BETlDzTh35
Watch on YouTube!
📺 https://t.co/4DBESaga40 pic.twitter.com/U5Jb7MmXxs – 11:30 AM Jake Madison @NOLAJake
Locked on Pelicans is live!
🏀 CJ McCollum the missing piece?
🏀 Why the Pels need to stay away from Caris LeVert
🏀 Really go for it with Myles Turner?
🎧 https://t.co/BETlDzTh35
Watch on YouTube!
📺 https://t.co/4DBESaga40 pic.twitter.com/3uqHQQgfJa – 10:01 AM Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
NEW @TheCrossover Pod w/@Howard Beck: Next steps for the Blazers, how aggressive the Sixers should be with CJ McCollum, fixing the Knicks more.
Links: bit.ly/2w1G5e2 – 8:19 AM Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
CJ McCollum diagnosed with a collapsed right lung
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/12… – 5:00 AM Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Blazers’ CJ McCollum diagnosed with pneumothorax sportando.basketball/en/blazers-cj-… – 2:11 AM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Blazers’ CJ McCollum out with collapsed lung, no timetable for return nba.nbcsports.com/2021/12/08/bla… – 12:11 AM Eric Pincus @EricPincus
Been swamped, wanted to take a moment to shout at @CJ McCollum to get well quickly – frightening situation – pneumothorax – seriously – 10:58 PM Jeff Stotts @InStreetClothes
New on InStreetClothes.com: Understanding CJ McCollum’s Pneumothorax instreetclothes.com/2021/12/07/und… – 9:35 PM Greg Dickerson @gregdickerson13
Blazers guard McCollum out with collapsed lung espn.com/nba/story/_/id…
Hey @IAmJamesStewart Is it possible to……………..trade for lillard if Cj is out? Waka waka – 9:32 PM Jamie Hudson @JamieHudson_
Blazers Injury Report:
Anfernee Simons (right ankle), Ben McLemore (left hip), Nassir Little (left ankle) & Cody Zeller (right quad contusion) are questionable.
CJ McCollum (right pneumothorax) and Damian Lillard (injury management) are out for Wednesday’s game at Golden State – 9:09 PM Casey Holdahl @CHold
In more injury news, Anfernee Simons (right ankle), Ben McLemore (left hip), Nassir Little (left ankle) and Cody Zeller (right quad) are questionable while CJ McCollum (right pneumothorax) and Damian Lillard (abdominal tendinopathy) are out for Wednesday’s game vs. Golden State. – 8:42 PM The Vertical @YahooSportsNBA
Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum is out indefinitely after a CT scan discovered he has a collapsed lung.
https://t.co/trhjJ5GhIL pic.twitter.com/TeFsLIEuS0 – 8:31 PM CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
76ers not interested in a Ben Simmons for CJ McCollum swap with Trail Blazers, keeping options open
cbssports.com/nba/news/76ers… – 8:30 PM Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
Best wishes to CJ McCollum. Glad the doctors caught that pneumothorax in a scan. – 8:28 PM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
#NBA #Blazers CJ McCollum pic.twitter.com/sAR8Un7Fb2 – 8:28 PM Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
Hits keep coming as Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum will be sidelined with a collapsed lung. sports.yahoo.com/trail-blazers-… – 8:25 PM Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
A CT scan revealed @CJ McCollum has a pneumothorax (collapsed right lung), per Blazers. McCollum suffered the injury on Saturday against Boston. – 8:18 PM Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
The Blazers say a CT scan revealed that guard CJ McCollum has a pneumothorax (right lung). He sustained the injury against Boston on Dec. 4.
He will be further evaluated before a prognosis is determined. – 8:16 PM Casey Holdahl @CHold
The team has announced that “a CT scan revealed that Trail Blazers guard @CJ McCollum has a pneumothorax (right lung)” and that “further evaluated before a prognosis is determined and his status will be updated accordingly.” – 8:15 PM JD Shaw @JShawNBA
Blazers guard CJ McCollum has sustained a pneumothorax (collapsed right lung), team says. – 8:14 PM Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum has a pneumothorax (collapsed right lung) and will be further evaluated, team says. – 8:14 PM Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum did not travel with the team to San Francisco after a CT scan revealed he has a pneumothorax (right lung). – 8:14 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
From Quick’s story: Portland turned down Jrue Holiday for C.J. McCollum and three first-round picks.
I wouldn’t have done three. I probably would have done two if the Pelicans could’ve been negotiated down to there (with some protections). Jrue is Dame’s ideal backcourt partner. pic.twitter.com/rDO5sZREXU – 12:20 PM Jason Jones @mr_jasonjones
Inside the mind of CJ McCollum: A conversation and a text message show the Blazers guard’s current struggle
via @TheAthletic theathletic.com/3002581/2021/1… – 11:07 AM Jason Quick @jwquick
It sure felt like CJ McCollum was saying goodbye on Monday night.
“It’s not a goodbye. I’m still here,” he said.
His head? That’s trickier to pinpoint. A look at what’s going on between the ears of the Trail Blazers guard during these tumultuous times: theathletic.com/3002581/2021/1… – 10:19 AM John Hollinger @johnhollinger
With Lillard, McCollum and Simons all out, C.J. Elleby is getting some run as the Blazers’ **point guard**
It’s going about how you imagined. – 10:45 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Clippers break up the Terance Mann-Luke Kennard combo, start Jackson, Kennard, George, Morris, Zubac.
Looks like CJ McCollum is out tonight with Portland starting Dennis Smith Jr., Norman Powell, Tony Snell, Robert Covington, Jusuf Nurkic. – 9:34 PM Aaron J. Fentress @AaronJFentress
The Blazers will be without Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little tonight against the Clippers. – 9:31 PM Jay Allen @PDXjay
CJ McCollum (rib contusion) has been downgraded from probable to doubtful for tonight’s game against the Clippers. #Blazers – 8:34 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Chauncey Billups says that he “hopes” CJ McCollum (rib) plays tonight, but that he’s not sure. – 8:24 PM Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
A trade package built around CJ McCollum for Ben Simmons makes perfect sense for the Trail Blazers: pic.twitter.com/3oAUycSy7M – 5:01 PM Ben Rohrbach @brohrbach
The Portland Paradox: Trade CJ McCollum now or risk losing Damian Lillard soon. For @The Vertical: sports.yahoo.com/the-portland-p… – 2:45 PM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
so, some thoughts on the Lillard/Simmons/McCollum stuff from this morning phillyvoice.com/nba-trade-rumo… – 2:37 PM

More on this storyline

Michael Scotto: I feel the Blazers have tried to win with Damian and CJ for so long. There are some executives I’ve spoken to who agree with my own opinion that if they were running the show in Portland, they’d start a rebuild. Norman Powell is 28 and in the prime of his career. He’s played well enough and is signed long-term for the future. Robert Convington and Jusuf Nurkic could interest playoff teams before they hit unrestricted free agency. CJ has plenty of value. Lillard would be the crown jewel of the market because Washington and Chicago have improved, and a lot of people around the league were hoping Zach LaVine or Bradley Beal would hit the trade market. That’s really unlikely at this point, given the success of their teams. Lillard or McCollum would be the most attractive trade piece a team could get out there overall. -via HoopsHype / December 8, 2021 According to Shams Charania, Lillard is interested in playing with Simmons and a package including McCollum, a first-round pick, and a young player such as Nassir Little or Anfernee Simons has been discussed. Such a deal would be close to a wash salary-wise, which is important considering both teams are a little over the luxury tax. While completely blowing it up now is at least worth a discussion, it’s probably more pragmatic to acquire an All-Star like Simmons first, especially at that price, and try to compete. -via HoopsHype / December 7, 2021 If the Blazers cannot acquire Simmons, Pascal Siakam would be another great addition to the team. A lot of the same arguments for acquiring Simmons such as the defensive versatility he brings and lineup configurations he allows can be applied to Siakam. It also helps that both players earn identical salaries, allowing the Blazers to put together a similar package for Siakam. -via HoopsHype / December 7, 2021