In his latest diary entry for Andscape, Pelicans guard CJ McCollum discussed a handful of topics, including injured teammates Zion Williamson and Jose Alvarado and his expectations for the home stretch of the season. Perhaps most notably, he confirmed that his own right thumb injury will require surgery during the offseason.
“I knew the final outcome would probably be surgery, and I was notified that that’s what it’s going to have to be,” McCollum wrote. “It’s my shooting hand, so you’re always a little nervous. So, I’ve just been checking in with a hand specialist out of New York and just making sure things are progressing and continue to get images every couple weeks to track the progress as to what type of surgery I may need, what’s the process going to look like and I’m comfortable with what I’ve been hearing so far, so I’ll be all right.”
McCollum acknowledged that it hasn’t been ideal playing through the thumb injury, which has “affected how I dribble, shoot, pass, (and) absorb passes.” However, he said that shutting it down for the season has never been an option he seriously considered, since he believes he can still be effective.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Dallas is just 7-12 since Kyrie Irving made his Mavericks debut and has slipped out of the top 10 in the West, but Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link) has heard only positive things about the guard’s professionalism and locker room presence since last month’s trade. Blaming Irving for Luka Doncic‘s recent frustration wouldn’t be “fair or accurate,” MacMahon adds.
- A nagging right knee injury will sideline Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan on Sunday for the seventh time in his last 11 games. However, the rookie has downplayed the issue as “nothing serious” and head coach Gregg Popovich said the team “probably” won’t shut down Sochan for the season, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). It sounds like there’s no concern that the knee problem will turn into a major injury, and the Spurs want to give Sochan all the reps they can before his first NBA season ends.
- Despite the way in which his time in Cleveland ended, Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. still values the time he spent with the Cavaliers and said he’s looking forward to playing in Cleveland on Sunday, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). “I would say that’s the first time I learned about the business of the NBA,” Porter said of the trade that sent him to Houston following a locker-room incident with the Cavs. “But we’re all still close, still. Those relationships are still there and very valuable to me, and (to) the other side, too. Definitely, a lot of people would say it was bad, a bad (ending). It was (for) the best for both of us.”
Dallas didn’t tank, but they sort of did. They have a lot of roster re-construction to do in the off-season.
Going into the draft with the best possible pick is not a bad idea if using it to trade off some salary like Bullock, Bertans, and Hardaway.
If they do that, they can build success around Doncic & Irving if they can attract some size, and defensive versatility.
Jerami Grant would be good in Dallas.
They don’t have a pick in this year’s draft and you don’t trade for a pending free agent if your plan is to tank down the stretch
That is what they did. So it had to be thought of as a possibility…
I forgot they traded their pick, but they still are setting up for roster reconstruction any way you slice it
They didn’t make the trade to add depth, thinking Bertans, and Mcgee were leading them into a deep play-off run.
Thats even more ridiculous than my assertion they are dismantling their roster in the offseason, and do not care about the playoffs this season. And it was planned ahead of time regsrdless of your pending free agent reasoning.
Oh yeah I definitely agree with you that it was a bad idea and they need to do some serious work this offseason. But since they knew they didn’t have any picks, they did it with legitimate thoughts of contending for a title and not tanking which makes it worse lol
With Dallas it seems like the whole roster except Doncic is in flux, and in play for trading between now, and next season. Irving may, or may not make the cut. (Seems like squandering a pick though)
They could be tanking to set things up for another team even? Its hard to say, but it would be irresponsible if the Dallas GM thought Trading 2 starters for 1 was gonna increase their title chances, or bolster play-off success.
They do if they finish with one of the 10 worst records, hence the tanking that’s going on.
Thanks, I wasn’t aware of the terms of the pick trade. Top ten protected? Yeah, I think Dallas is doing their best to try, and nab that 1st. I would if I was in their position.
Seems like the play-ins are not convenient for some teams this year, and they are going to lose the games intentionally for draft positiining.
Kevin Porter Jr: “It was (for) the best for both of us”
Cleveland literally got nothing in return for you. You were a first round pick that turned into a 2024 2nd (from GSW).
It was the best for you. Certainly not for the people in Cleveland you alienated, nor their fans.
To not have any other “behavioral” problems since says a lot about whatever was, or wasn’t reported in cleveland. I remember that trade was dumb, and the Cavs overreacted, yet wouldn’t provide details about why. Just accusations, rumors, and insinuation. Then traded for chump change. Seems like cleveland fans were shortchanged, but the franchise asked for it.
Huh? ‘To not have any other…….” You just emerge from a coma?
What are you referring to exactly? He has been fine in Houston. Media tried to blame him for stuff there, but wood was traded, and also included in the alleged media accusation last season. Seems like if that media was true about Porter he would have been traded also
Not sure what you are referring to if not that?
What are you on about, there is literally a video of him threatening to physically harm a women. I have no idea how his team was able to sweep that under the rug. There was also an altercation in the locker room where he disrespected the GM and coach. Threw a bowl of food at an assistant and a couple other incidents. KPJ needed a reality check and got it.
Cleveland is about building a great culture with great players. They are positioned where they are because of that. Yes, KPJ is a very good talent that would be welcomed on the team if not for his attitude. I still root for him to become a great player and a greater man.
It’s not that Kyrie is bad, more like the upgrade of Kyrie over Dinwiddie wasn’t enough to cancel losing DFS.