The Washington Wizards landing CJ McCollum is one of many moves the team made this offseason.<\/p>\n
However, while it may be looked at as just another move to some, this blockbuster trade fron left field by general manager Will Dawkins could prove to be one of the best additions of the offseason when it’s all said and done.<\/p>\n
McCollum landed in Washington courtesy of the New Orleans Pelicans looking to move off of his $30.6 million contract, while also making it a priority to get younger.<\/p>\n
The Pelicans were able to accomplish both by landing Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey from the Wizards in exchange for McCollum and Kelly Olynyk.<\/p>\n
And while McCollum may be looked at as the negative asset in this deal considering his age and contract, that couldn’t be further from the truth.<\/p>\n
In fact, the truth is that despite being 33-years-old and arguably one of the biggest causes for the new CBA guidelines impacting each team league-wide, McCollum is still playing at an extremely high level.<\/p>\n
Averaging 21.1 points, 4.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds, while shooting 44.4% from field goal range and 37.3% from beyond the arc this past season, there’s plenty to love about what the veteran guard offers.<\/p>\n
Not to mention, considering the veteran talent the Wizards have took swings on over the last year with Jonas Valanciunas, Khris Middleton, and Marcus Smart coming to mind, McCollum offers the most upside in terms of impact to the team’s young roster, play on the court and potential for Washington to flip on the trade market<\/a>.<\/p>\n McCollum is viewed as one of the best veteran guards in the league and not solely because of his play on the court.<\/p>\n The guard is one of the best leaders in the NBA as a whole, and if you don’t believe me, just look at the fact that he’s held the role of President of the National Basketball Players Asscociation (NBPA) since 2021.<\/p>\n As a trusted voice across the league and a team-first player, McCollum’s talent on the court and what he offers off the court could be the exact addition from a veteran that the Wizards have been searching for in each of their last few attempts to land a savvy vet.<\/p>\n