New Orleans Pelicans veteran CJ McCollum already knew he could be traded at any moment.
After three-and-a-half seasons, veteran guard CJ McCollum’s stint with the New Orleans Pelicans has come to an end.
The Pelicans green-lit the decision to part ways with McCollum to secure a younger star guard in Jordan Poole. Here is the full trade deal between NOLA and the Washington Wizards.
Washington Wizards received: CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, and a future second-round draft pickNew Orleans Pelicans received: Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, and No. 40 pick in 2025 NBA Draft
Surprisingly, McCollum had already predicted this move back in February 2025.
Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty ImagesCJ McCollum spoke his trade into existence
No one expected the Dallas Mavericks to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Evidently, the move sent shockwaves through the NBA community.
Many players expressed their shock over the Mavs’ decision, including McCollum. Fast forward to now and CJ predicted his trade to the Wizards.
“Gotta pack them bags just in case nowadays. If the Don [Luka Doncic] got traded, only lord knows,” McCollum tweeted.
Well, the Pelicans indeed asked McCollum to pack his bags as he now joins the Wizards for the 13th season of his NBA career.
Jordan Poole and CJ McCollum trade – a lose-lose trade for Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans
Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images
The core reason behind the McCollum-Poole trade was likely an attempt by the Pelicans to build a younger supporting cast around their star Zion Williamson.
Sure, they got rid of McCollum (33) and Olynyk (34), but did they really improve? The answer is no. Both Poole and Bey were part of the Wizards’ horrific 18-64 record last season.
More importantly, the Pelicans need a quality point guard who can create offense for Zion. Unfortunately, neither Poole nor Bey fits that description.
Coming to the Wizards, even after the 15th finish in the East, the organization fell out of the top-five picks in the Draft Lottery.
Now, they have one of the oldest teams in the league with the likes of McCollum, Khris Middleton, and Marcus Smart leading the charge.
PlayerContract (2025-26 season)Khris Middleton$33.2 millionCJ McCollum$30.6 millionMarcus Smart$21.5 million
The trio is on expiring deals. So, in theory, the Wizards are planning to tank post the 2025-26 NBA season in hopes of building through the draft.
But there’s no guarantee that the Wizards will earn a top-five pick, and they may have set the franchise back a couple of more years.