The Atlanta Hawks locked CJ McCollum up for another year on Sunday, giving the veteran guard a one-year extension worth $21 million. Shams Charania of ESPN broke the news, and it sounded straightforward enough. McCollum arrived in Atlanta last season as part of the Trae Young trade with the Wizards, and he settled in nicely. But the structure of this deal matters more than the dollar figure.
Keith Smith of Spotrac pointed out a wrinkle that might matter if the Hawks ever decide to move on from McCollum. Because this is an extension rather than a brand new contract signed in July, McCollum is immediately trade-eligible. There’s no waiting period. A fresh contract signed in July would have carried a December 15 trade restriction. That’s not nothing.
McCollum struggled in his first few games after the January trade. It took him a minute to find his footing. But once he did, he became a central figure in Atlanta’s push up the Eastern Conference standings. The Hawks grabbed the six seed, and in the playoffs they took the Knicks further than anyone else did on New York’s title run. McCollum hit huge shots in Games 2 and 3, and for a minute it looked like Atlanta might actually pull off the upset. The Knicks dominated the rest of the series, but the Hawks made them work for it.
What This Means for the Draft
The Hawks hold the number eight pick in this year’s draft, thanks to an earlier deal with the Pelicans. The draft starts June 23. And now the front office has some flexibility with McCollum’s contract that could factor into whatever they do with that pick. Maybe they package him in a deal to move up. Maybe they stand pat. But the immediate trade eligibility opens up possibilities that a standard contract wouldn’t have.
McCollum is 33 years old and coming off a season where he averaged just under 19 points a game after the trade. He shot 38 percent from three in the playoffs. That’s not nothing for a team that needs shooting around its young core.
Atlanta’s front office has been quiet about their draft night plans. They haven’t tipped their hand about trading the pick or using it. But the McCollum extension gives them one more lever to pull if the right offer comes along. It’s a small detail. But in the NBA, small details tend to matter when the trade calls start coming.
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