CJ McCollum linked to Clippers trade

in 2025 Los Angeles Clippers the season was disappointing to begin with. They sit at 7-21 despite a talented roster on paper. They could also be buyers at the trade deadline because they still have talent on this roster and need to make a move to jumpstart the team. They also need to keep winning because they don’t have their first-round pick this season; Thunder works instead.

National NBA reporter and ClutchPoints insider Brett Siegel reported the Washington Wizards veteran guard CJ McCollum is brought up in trade discussions with the Los Angeles Clippers. We’re still six weeks away from the trade deadline, and there’s uncertainty about what the Clippers have planned, but McCollum would fit what they want to do and push for the postseason.

Said Siegel: “Some around the league tend to believe McCollum is available for two or three second-round picks, and with his contract expiring, he would make sense for the Clippers, a team looking to make one last effort to compete this year.”

Tyronn Lue and management continue to hint that this group will contend for the playoffs, but that has become even more difficult with Ivica Zubac sprained his ankle.

The problem facing the Clippers is that they are in desperate need of offensive scoring. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden can only do so much, and it doesn’t help that Bradley Beal’s season was cut short after suffering a broken hip. Overall, Los Angeles ranks 24th in offensive rating and is the league’s third-lowest scoring team at 110.6 points per game. Injuries and lineup instability have also exacerbated the problem.

McCollum would be an immediate contributor. The 34-year-old is averaging 18.8 points, 3.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game in Washington while shooting 39.9% from three-point range and 44.5% from the field overall. Even at 34, McCollum showed that he is still an excellent scorer for the Wizards.

The problem that keeps such a move is the financial aspect. CJ McCollum has a salary of $30.7 million, which is very steep for any guard over the age of 30. Any deal would require Los Angeles to post the appropriate salary, which likely includes additional contracts or expiring flexibility. However, if the Clippers see themselves as a playoff contender, then McCollum’s expiring contract could be more attractive.