A mere season ago, C.J. McCollum was the recipient of a measly 16 minutes per game. He would display flashes of potential, but would still receive minimal time off of the bench. Despite the lack of playing time, Portland knew he was a talented scorer, similar to his current backcourt mate Damian Lillard. With Wesley Matthews already in place, drafting McCollum was ultimately a move to bolster their bench production.
McCollum patiently waited for his turn to receive an uptick in playing time. He knew that once he finally received it, he would make the most out of it.