When the Atlanta Hawks acquired CJ McCollum in the Trae Young trade, there was a base assumption that he wouldn’t be on the team for long. With an expiring $30 million deal, McCollum could have been flipped again at the trade deadline or simply allowed to walk in free agency. Allowing him to leave would give the Hawks up to $32.9 million in cap space.
But with the way McCollum has played in a Hawks jersey, it’s hard to imagine Atlanta letting him walk (unless they find a perfect replacement).
The Hawks must either extend CJ or find his replacement
It is worth noting that McCollum hasn’t played remarkably well since the trade.