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Just as the Trae Young era ended for the Atlanta Hawks in the 2025-26 season, the CJ McCollum era began.
The two players swapped teams in a January trade, which marked the end of Young's eight-season tenure with the Hawks.
And while that was the big storyline, the McCollum factor was notable in its own right. That's especially true now that the veteran guard is returning to the Hawks for more.
With his contract up, McCollum inked a new deal with Atlanta in June to stick around for another season. And if his recent comments to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto are any indication, he's excited to be back.
"I never made it to free agency," he said. "It’s a great situation for both parties. We had good momentum into the playoffs. We didn’t finish the way we wanted, but I think there’s a lot to build on. I love the staff. I love Onsi (Saleh). I love the organization. I love the Resslers. I love Quin (Snyder). I get along really well with the team and the players. There’s a lot of good basketball left for everybody. I’m excited to be back in Atlanta and for the challenge to try to build off what we were able to do last year."
McCollum made an impact last season after landing with the Hawks. He appeared in 41 games in the regular season after the trade and made 25 starts. In those 41 appearances, he averaged 18.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc.
His efforts helped the team go on a memorable run near the end of the regular season to solidify its playoff position after being below .500 as late as February.
Then, in the playoffs, the Hawks put up a fight against the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks, pushing them to six games. No other team in the postseason was able to do that.
McCollum did his thing in that series, averaging 19.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 30.3 percent from long range.
As the Hawks move forward with a young core, McCollum is in line to serve as a valuable veteran presence. He is 34 and will turn 35 by the time the new season begins. Moreover, with 13 years of NBA experience under his belt and countless postseason trips to show for it, he should be able to share some wisdom with his teammates.
The Young deal certainly marked the end of an era for the Hawks, and it was a fun ride at times. But with the franchise still searching for its first playoff series victory since 2021, change was needed, and it continues to come, with the team in the midst of a busy offseason.
McCollum will be a constant heading into the new campaign, and with any luck, that will help the squad as it looks to keep taking steps in the right direction.
Continue reading...
The two players swapped teams in a January trade, which marked the end of Young's eight-season tenure with the Hawks.
And while that was the big storyline, the McCollum factor was notable in its own right. That's especially true now that the veteran guard is returning to the Hawks for more.
With his contract up, McCollum inked a new deal with Atlanta in June to stick around for another season. And if his recent comments to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto are any indication, he's excited to be back.
"I never made it to free agency," he said. "It’s a great situation for both parties. We had good momentum into the playoffs. We didn’t finish the way we wanted, but I think there’s a lot to build on. I love the staff. I love Onsi (Saleh). I love the organization. I love the Resslers. I love Quin (Snyder). I get along really well with the team and the players. There’s a lot of good basketball left for everybody. I’m excited to be back in Atlanta and for the challenge to try to build off what we were able to do last year."
McCollum made an impact last season after landing with the Hawks. He appeared in 41 games in the regular season after the trade and made 25 starts. In those 41 appearances, he averaged 18.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc.
His efforts helped the team go on a memorable run near the end of the regular season to solidify its playoff position after being below .500 as late as February.
Then, in the playoffs, the Hawks put up a fight against the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks, pushing them to six games. No other team in the postseason was able to do that.
McCollum did his thing in that series, averaging 19.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 30.3 percent from long range.
As the Hawks move forward with a young core, McCollum is in line to serve as a valuable veteran presence. He is 34 and will turn 35 by the time the new season begins. Moreover, with 13 years of NBA experience under his belt and countless postseason trips to show for it, he should be able to share some wisdom with his teammates.
The Young deal certainly marked the end of an era for the Hawks, and it was a fun ride at times. But with the franchise still searching for its first playoff series victory since 2021, change was needed, and it continues to come, with the team in the midst of a busy offseason.
McCollum will be a constant heading into the new campaign, and with any luck, that will help the squad as it looks to keep taking steps in the right direction.
Continue reading...
