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CJ McCollum Sends Clear Message After Trae Young Trade

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Reign Amurao | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 10:54 PM ET

CJ McCollum's time with the Washington Wizards did not last long after he was involved in a mid-season trade. Shams Charania of ESPN reported on X that the Wizards have traded McCollum and Corey Kispert to the Atlanta Hawks for star guard Trae Young. No picks were involved on either side, according to The Athletic's Joshua Robbins.

McCollum appeared in 35 games for the Wizards in the 2025-25 NBA season. During that span, the veteran guard averaged 18.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists. The 34-year-old provided veteran leadership to Washington's young core.

After the deal, Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, and Bub Carrington will have a new mentor in Young.

Washington Wizards guard CJ McCollum (3)Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Following the report, Senior NBA Insider for NBA on Prime's Chris Haynes had time to ask McCollum about the trade. The former Portland Trail Blazers star had an appreciative message to the Wizards' front office and ownership group.

"Loved my time in DC. Organization was great to my family and I. Michael Winger and Will [Dawkins] did everything they said they would and kept their word from the very beginning," McCollum said. "Love the city and they’re doing things the right way over there. Exited to get to The A and get to work. Very familiar with their style of play. Love the ownership group and front office. Good group of players."

CJ McCollum to me on trade to Atlanta: “Loved my time in DC. Organization was great to my family and I. Michael Winger and 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…
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 8, 2026

The Wizards acquired McCollum over the summer from the New Orleans Pelicans. The franchise traded the veteran guard, Kelly Olynyk and a future second-round pick for Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey and the 40th pick in the 2025 NBA draft.

Although the former No. 10 pick's time in the nation's capital was short, he still made his mark. Against the Hawks on Nov. 25, he tied Trevor Ariza for the most made 3-pointers in a single game with 10. McCollum scored 46 points to lead Washington to a 132-113 win over Atlanta.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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