CJ McCollum Ends Wizards Tenure on High Note

But off-court productivity aside, he'd grown to fit in increasingly-well with the Wizards' pool of prospects. Several of their recent draft hits have looked to increase how much time they're spending on the ball, and the high-usage scorer thoroughly enjoyed his stint as the go-to option late in games before learning how qualified his young teammates were of making similar high-leverage decisions.

Guiding the Scoring Way

He, along with fellow veteran bucket-getter Khris Middleton, certainly asserted themselves as the most technically-qualified handlers over the season's first month and change, dominating the few late-game opportunities provided with over their ugly 3-20 stretch to start the season.

Ever since head coach Brian Keefe started tweaking his lineups and scoring hierarchy, though, the team hasn't been half bad. They're 7-6 over the 13 games since that low point, and McCollum's been noticeably better at picking his spots in a lightened minute-load.

Look no further than the Wizards' most recent victory over the Orlando Magic, a game in which the kids needed some guidance out there on the floor with them. A towering 26-point lead dwindled to a one-possession game midway through the fourth quarter, and McCollum cooled the fire with 10 points in that final frame to end his final outing in Wizards threads with one more win in front of the riled-up home fans.

He spoke highly of the squad's management and direction all throughout his time in Washington, and kept his messages consistent upon issuing a parting statement to the fan base.

"Loved my time in DC. Organization was great to my family and I," he told Chris Haynes. "[President] Michael Winger and [General Manager] Will [Dawkins] did everything they said they would and kept their word from the very beginning. Love the city and they’re doing things the right way over there."

He, along with Corey Kispert, have plenty to look forward to in adding to their NBA journeys, and they left plenty behind in D.C. to be proud of. McCollum may not have been a Wizard for long, but his play was pivotal in attracting a low-risk trade for a star while making a positive mark on the Wizards' youth.