CJ McCollum’s immediate reaction to the Trae Young trade
The The Atlanta Hawks agreed to an eye-opening trade on Wednesday night. They are sending a former All-Star point guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards in exchange for veterans CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
Not long after news of the trade broke, NBA insider Chris Haynes was able to collect McCollum’s initial reaction.
“I loved my time in Washington. The organization was great for my family and me,” McCollum said.
“Michael Winger and Will (Dawkins) have done everything they said they would and kept their word from the start. They love the city and do things the right way there. Excited to get to the A’s and get to work. Very familiar with their style of play. Love the ownership group and the front office. Good group of players.”
McCollum said all the right things about his new destination. But there’s a good chance Atlanta, as his home, will be short-lived. The trade for Atlanta was a huge salary cap hit.
Young was set to make $46 million this year, with a $49 million player option for next season. With Atlanta suddenly filled with some cap space, they are expected to be aggressive at the NBA trade deadline. Many pundits have pointed to the Anthony Davis sweepstakes as a prize the Hawks could dive into. To pull that off, they may have to move McCollum again.
However, CJ was all class, both with his former and current team.
He is a 13-year veteran who spent most of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers. He averaged more than 20 points per game for the last 10 consecutive seasons. This year, however, that dropped to 18.6, while rebounding and assists were near career lows.
2026-01-08 03:54:00
