Hawks GM on CJ McCollum Extension: ‘The Ultimate Professional,’ and That’s Why They Paid Him

The Atlanta Hawks didn’t just bring CJ McCollum back for the sake of continuity. They brought him back because the front office believes he’s the kind of player who makes everyone around him better, both in the locker room and on the floor.

On Sunday, the team agreed to a one-year contract extension with McCollum, keeping the veteran guard in Atlanta after he was acquired in January as part of the Trae Young trade with the Washington Wizards. It wasn’t a splashy move. But it was a deliberate one.

Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh laid out the reasoning pretty plainly. According to Brad Rowland of the Locked on Hawks podcast, Saleh called McCollum “the ultimate professional” and added, more casually, “the guy can hoop.” Saleh also pointed to the value of having McCollum for a full training camp — something Atlanta didn’t get last season after the midyear trade.

That short ramp-up showed early. McCollum struggled out of the gate with the Hawks, looking like a player still figuring out where to stand and when to shoot. But he adjusted fast. By the time the playoffs rolled around, he was arguably Atlanta’s best player against the New York Knicks.

He hit clutch buckets down the stretch of Games 2 and 3, helping the Hawks jump out to a 2-1 series lead. The Knicks eventually took control and won the series, but McCollum proved he can still create his own shot when the half-court offense grinds to a halt. That matters for a Hawks team that sometimes gets stuck in third gear.

More than just scoring

McCollum’s value goes beyond the box score. He’s a stabilizing presence, especially for a young roster still figuring out its identity post-Young. His experience in big games — playoff runs in Portland, pressure moments in New Orleans — gives Atlanta a second voice on the floor when things get tight.

And his late-season surge helped the Hawks avoid the play-in tournament for the first time in five years. That alone made the extension feel like a no-brainer for Saleh and the front office.

Now the attention shifts to Tuesday night’s NBA Draft. The Hawks have picks to make and decisions to weigh, but at least one thing is settled: CJ McCollum will be around to help whoever walks through the door.