Atlanta got its veteran backcourt anchor locked up before he could walk. CJ McCollum has agreed to a one-year extension worth about $21 million to remain with the Hawks, ESPN reported, keeping the 34-year-old guard off the free-agent market.
The timing mattered. McCollum had until June 30 to sign an extension; had he not, he would have hit free agency. Instead, the two sides got a deal done on June 21. According to Yahoo Sports, the agreement includes a trade kicker, a detail conveyed by his agent, Sam Goldfeder.
McCollum landed in Atlanta in January, arriving from the Washington Wizards as part of the trade that sent Trae Young the other way. The fit worked. A 13-year NBA veteran, McCollum averaged 18.7 points and 4.1 assists per game across 41 games with the Hawks while shooting 35.7% from three-point range, per ESPN and Yahoo Sports. He also extended one of the quieter streaks in the league, knocking down at least 150 three-pointers for the 11th straight season — the only player to clear that bar every year since 2015-16.
Clutch When It Counted
His value showed up brightest when it counted most. In the first round of the playoffs, McCollum helped the Hawks grab a 2-1 series lead over the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks. He poured in 32 points in a Game 2 win at Madison Square Garden, then drilled a 15-foot fadeaway with 12.7 seconds left to win Game 3, as ESPN detailed.
Beyond the box score, McCollum brings the kind of steady, professional presence that organizations covet. Long respected around the league for his leadership and well-spoken demeanor off the floor — including his work as president of the National Basketball Players Association — he gives a young Atlanta roster a reliable veteran voice and a proven late-game scorer.
For the Hawks, the move is a sensible one. Rather than risk losing a productive starter for nothing in free agency, the franchise retains a clutch shot-maker on a manageable one-year commitment, preserving flexibility while keeping the rotation intact. For McCollum, it is a vote of confidence in a contender that nearly knocked off the eventual champs, and a chance to keep playing meaningful minutes deep into his 30s.
The deal is one of the first notable pieces of business as the NBA's offseason ramps up, removing one veteran name from a free-agent pool that figures to move quickly once the market opens.
