CJ McCollum misses Blazers’ game because of clerical error

The Portland Trail Blazers played Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers without one of their best players due to a clerical error.

CJ McCollum was ruled inactive for the game after the team accidentally left him off the active roster on the lineup card submitted before the game in favor of rookie Luis Montero.

The Blazers’ website explained the error:

Each team is responsible to list the 13 of their 15 players who will be active for the upcoming game roughly 45 minutes before the game is schedule to start. The list is usually delivered by a designated member of the basketball staff, which is hand delivered to each coach, who then signs off on the list for that particular game.

But somehow, McCollum was left off the active list in place of rookie Luis Montero. Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts signed off on the roster after which it was delivered to the official scorer. Once the list is signed by both coaches, as was the case Wednesday night, the active list is set.

The Blazers realized their error and tried to correct it, even having a call with the league office. Unfortunately they realized the mistake too late and the change was unable to be made.

Re: CJ being inactive: I've been told Blazers could not correct error simply because rules don't allow it after 60-min mark, nothing more.

— Joe Freeman (@BlazerFreeman) January 7, 2016

McCollum unbelievably didn’t even get the memo. He started off the game dressed in his uniform while Montero was in street clothes. They later went into the locker room and changed — McCollum into street clothes and Montero into his uniform.

Montero entered the game in the second quarter and played a few minutes. McCollum, who is averaging 21 points per game, did not get to play in the contest.

Tip via Big Daddy