CJ McCollum will be the Portland Trail Blazers' backup point guard behind Damian Lillard.

"Essentially, the plan is, when Dame (Lillard) is out, CJ will be the point guard,'' Terry Stotts said.

McCollum played point guard for the first time in the NBA on Thursday in the Blazers' preseason game.

McCollum played some point guard in college and often had the ball in his hands pushing a fast break when playing shooting guard.

"I guess it's preseason so you have to find something to write about,  but I don't think its really a big deal,'' McCollum said. "It's still a basketball game.''

Stotts estimated that Lillard would average around 36 minutes a game this season, leaving 12 minutes a game for McCollum at point guard.