Which Trail Blazers Are Expendable in Portland's Championship Quest?

Through 15 games, the Portland Trail Blazers are the hottest team in the NBA. They're tied with the Houston Rockets for the fourth-best record, and they own the league's longest winning streak at nine straight victories.

The problem is, as we saw in 2013-14, a hot start doesn't always equate to a championship run. 

Although fans in Rip City love what they're seeing now, no roster ever stays the same for too long. Portland would like to be the exception to the rule, but there are always expendable players from the bottom of the rotation to the starting lineup. 

When looking at whom the Blazers should be willing to move (or let walk), we first ask ourselves: Who are the untouchables? In Portland's case, look no further than LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard.

Although you can make an argument here for the entire starting lineup, Aldridge and Lillard are the only ones worth discussing when it comes to max money. General manager Neil Olshey and owner Paul Allen will happily cut the check for the two All-Stars, whereas signing anyone else on the roster to a maximum contract is highly unlikely.

Then there are those who aren't untouchable but shouldn't be considered expendable. Take Robin Lopez for instance. He's been invaluable when it comes to taking pressure off Aldridge in the paint, and he's the most reliable center the Blazers have had in a long time.

Also throw Steve Blake in that category, as he's the only backup point guard on the roster—not to mention something of an enforcer despite his small frame.

With Portland officially chasing a Larry O'Brien Trophy, you don't want to see any major moves made. Then again, the team might be forced into doing just that with potentially nine contracts coming off the books next summer, according to Basketball-Reference.com.

Management can't be solely focused on present success. Decisions made now will impact the future, and the bulk of those decisions will be focused on who stays and who goes.

The End of the Bench

USA TODAY Sports

Let’s not spend much time here. The Blazers bench is entirely expendable if the right offer comes along.

Despite the improvements we’ve seen thus far, the Blazers are still just 25th in points per game, according to HoopsStats.com. They’re also just 26th in minutes per game, proving the coaching staff has yet to establish trust in most of the second unit.

While there are individual players worth noting as expendable, the reserves can be largely lumped together. The potential of players such as Meyers Leonard, Thomas Robinson and Joel Freeland shouldn't be ignored, but their slow progress makes it hard to believe they'll be crucial in a championship run over the next season or two. 

Allen Crabbe

Cameron Browne/Getty Images

Who would have thought that Allen Crabbe would become a legitimate role player for the Trail Blazers this season?

Despite playing just 15 games last year, the former California Golden Bear was given an opportunity to start when Nicolas Batum sat with an injury on Nov. 11 against the Charlotte Hornets. The 22-year-old has started in four total games, and he's now earning backup minutes over Will Barton.

Although Portland should be satisfied with the production it's gotten from Crabbe during this small sample size, nobody is going to claim that he'll make or break a championship run. He's beginning to make a name for himself, but the team will have an opportunity to sell high at the trade deadline if interest is there across the Association.

Looking past the deadline, it's certainly possible Crabbe remains with the team. However, it's also possible that Barton has re-established himself in the rotation.

Crabbe is a young, improving player, but it's difficult to envision him being an integral part of postseason success. Maybe that will change in a few years, but the Blazers should be willing to risk losing him, whether it be via trade or free agency.

C.J. McCollum

Rocky Widner/Getty Images

C.J. McCollum has yet to become a consistent role player in Portland's rotation. Injuries have put a halt to that early in his career, but so has inefficient production.

In 11 games this season, the former No. 10 pick has posted averages of 5.0 points and 1.1 assists in 13.1 minutes per game. What's concerning, though, is that he's shooting just 37.2 percent from the field despite knocking down 45.8 percent of his three-point shots. 

In an ideal world, McCollum will come back from his recent injury ready to contribute. But as B/R's Jim Cavan recently stated, "Even when he [is] brought back into the Blazers’ fold, McCollum will have an uphill battle in convincing [head coach Terry] Stotts the work he put in on the defensive end over the summer will continue paying dividends."

Assuming there's still an adjustment period ahead for the youngster (he just turned 23 in September), McCollum becomes expendable. That will change if he eventually becomes the sixth man Portland needs, but the question is: How long is Portland willing to wait with a championship in sight?

Chris Kaman

Brian Babineau/Getty Images

When looking at improvements the Trail Blazers have made this season, Chris Kaman seems untouchable. His presence has made it so the team has a reliable center when Robin Lopez sits, and his impact has been felt on a bench that's been one of the league's worst the past few seasons.

At 32 years old, Kaman has the experience of a crafty veteran. Unfortunately, he also has a ceiling that was reached quite a few years ago.

If the Blazers want to be considered perpetual contenders, they're going to need an apprentice center behind Kaman. Either that or they'll need to outright replace him with a younger version who can recreate what he's doing now two or three years down the road.

At this point, neither Meyers Leonard nor Joel Freeland are locks to be the next man in line. Both have shown potential, but neither have exceeded on a regular basis.

Replacing Kaman may seem premature just 15 games into his Portland career, but this organization has bigger goals in mind than competing one year and being done the next. The Blazers have been through multiple rebuilds over the last decade, and finding long-term solutions will help avoid yet another rebuild in the midst of a championship run. 

Nicolas Batum

Sam Forencich/Getty Images

The Trail Blazers have one of the most productive starting lineups in the NBA. The only problem with top-tier production is that it requires top-tier dollars.

Assuming management has no qualms about forking over max money to LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, that leaves Robin Lopez, Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews to fight for paydays. Leaving Lopez off this list of expendable players, we ask ourselves: Who is more expendable when it comes to the team's starting swingmen?

To kick off the debate, consider what Dave Deckard of BlazersEdge.com had to say when discussing whom he'd rather keep.

"

As a player, I like Batum better. However, what frustrates you about Batum and excites you about Matthews is that when Matthews makes a mistake, it's an error of commission. And when Batum makes a mistake, it's an error of omission. So even though Batum is the better player overall…he will have less of an effect game to game than Matthews will if you look over the long term.

"

Deckard ultimately goes on to claim he'd keep Batum, but the point made above is an important one. When it comes to the 25-year-old, the frustration of passive play has been known to accompany the excitement of his versatile skill set.

With Matthews, you get heart and soul every game, even if his shot isn't falling (a rare case these days).

There's also money to consider. Because Matthews isn't flashy, it's possible Portland can get away without shelling out "Batum money" right away (Batum is set to make $12-plus million in 2015-16, according to Basketball-Reference.com).

While today's market has certainly inflated what productive wing players earn, the perception is likely that at 28 years old, we're not going to be surprised by anything Matthews does moving forward. He also lacks the trade value of Batum, giving the Blazers a better chance of swinging a deal if they put the Frenchman on the block opposed to the former Marquette product. 

If keeping the staring lineup intact long term becomes viable, Portland will look to make it happen. But with Matthews, Batum and Lopez all looking for big paydays over the next two summers, letting one go might be inevitable.