CJ McCollum Plans To Retire With Pelicans, Eligible For Extension On Aug. 9

[RealGM Wiretap]

CJ McCollum has been with the New Orleans Pelicans for less than three months, but he is already fully committed to the franchise.

“I’m not going nowhere. I’m here,” McCollum recently told Andscape. “Where am I going to go? Leave for what? I want to retire here. I’m 30 years old and I have a son who is 13 weeks old. I’m married. When you have something good, you hold on to it. This is something fun for both sides. We’re going to grow. I’m still learning the city. I’m going to find a house.”

McCollum and the Pelicans reached the playoffs out of the Play-In despite not having Zion Williamson in the lineup.

McCollum will be eligible for a three-year contract extension on August 9th.

"I can’t say anything about that," said McCollum. "We haven’t talked yet. I haven’t talked to upper management. But I told my wife before I left [Portland] that ‘Wherever I go, I want to finish my career. New Orleans is on the list of places I would like to finish my career.’ I told my agent that. I’m not about bouncing around. I don’t go through free agency. I’ve been in the league nine years. Have you ever seen me be a free agent?

"When I’m committed to something, I’m committed to it. New Orleans, in my mind, I’m finishing my career here. That is how I devote myself to a city, things and people."

Via Marc J. Spears/ESPN

[King4Day]

They're lucky to have him. I expect him to get a big extension this summer and that'll help transition the team, with Zion, into a top 5 or 6 seed next year.

[Duke4life831]

Would be a big mistake for them to extend him.

[PT416]

This is like the girl you met at the bar who you're kind of alright with except she's not that fun to be around and not that great to talk to telling you she wants to move in and that she's falling in love with you and wants to start a family with a couple of dogs and a huge back yard and a nice kitchen.

[Pickled Prunes]

Would be a big mistake for them to extend him.

Why? They just traded for him and the team is measurably better since he arrived. In what way has he not lived up to your expectations?

[HornetJail]

Would be a big mistake for them to extend him.

Why? They just traded for him and the team is measurably better since he arrived. In what way has he not lived up to your expectations?

The extension would kick in 2 years from now. CJ would be 33 by the time he plays a game on that next contract, that's the problem

[Myth]

Every time CJ speaks I miss him as a Blazer.

[Duke4life831]

Would be a big mistake for them to extend him.

Why? They just traded for him and the team is measurably better since he arrived. In what way has he not lived up to your expectations?

CJ was a good short term pickup and that's about it. Multiple reasons why I think it's just a short term pickup (I was a fan of the trade).

Once Zion returns CJ in r starting lineup doesn't make all that much sense. BI and Zion will provide more than enough offense, they don't need another only scorer who wants the ball in his hands.

CJ's game most likely isn't going to age all that well. He still has 2 more years on his deal. I don't think he's going to be the most effective player 33+ years old and that will be his age starting his next contract.

[Lalouie]

Would be a big mistake for them to extend him.

Why? They just traded for him and the team is measurably better since he arrived. In what way has he not lived up to your expectations?

CJ was a good short term pickup and that's about it. Multiple reasons why I think it's just a short term pickup (I was a fan of the trade).

Once Zion returns CJ in r starting lineup doesn't make all that much sense. BI and Zion will provide more than enough offense, they don't need another only scorer who wants the ball in his hands.

CJ's game most likely isn't going to age all that well. He still has 2 more years on his deal. I don't think he's going to be the most effective player 33+ years old and that will be his age starting his next contract.

keeping cj makes all kinds of sense because no team goes anywhere without vets....period. end of story

[Pickled Prunes]

Would be a big mistake for them to extend him.

Why? They just traded for him and the team is measurably better since he arrived. In what way has he not lived up to your expectations?

The extension would kick in 2 years from now. CJ would be 33 by the time he plays a game on that next contract, that's the problem

But you have no idea of the terms of the deal. He isn't on a max now and he won't be then. You can't make a blanket statement like "Would be a big mistake for them to extend him" without knowing the terms of a proposed extension.

[Pickled Prunes]

Why? They just traded for him and the team is measurably better since he arrived. In what way has he not lived up to your expectations?

CJ was a good short term pickup and that's about it. Multiple reasons why I think it's just a short term pickup (I was a fan of the trade).

Once Zion returns CJ in r starting lineup doesn't make all that much sense. BI and Zion will provide more than enough offense, they don't need another only scorer who wants the ball in his hands.

CJ's game most likely isn't going to age all that well. He still has 2 more years on his deal. I don't think he's going to be the most effective player 33+ years old and that will be his age starting his next contract.

keeping cj makes all kinds of sense because no team goes anywhere without vets....period. end of story

Yep. He's smart and has his head on straight. He's also played most of his career off ball so calling him a "scorer who wants the ball in his hands" is erroneous. He would be a great #3, is paid like a #3 and would be accepting of that role. That's hard to find in a player of his caliber. He's essentially Beal... if Beal made 2/3 as much and was willing to play third fiddle.

[Case2012]

As much as I love CJ, if they try to extend him for 2 or 3 years at 18- 20 million a season, he's gonna change his tune.

[Darthlukey]

This is like the girl you met at the bar who you're kind of alright with except she's not that fun to be around and not that great to talk to telling you she wants to move in and that she's falling in love with you and wants to start a family with a couple of dogs and a huge back yard and a nice kitchen.

This is a clunky but apt metaphor. Nice to have around, but you don't want to be talked into a corner

[PT416]

This is like the girl you met at the bar who you're kind of alright with except she's not that fun to be around and not that great to talk to telling you she wants to move in and that she's falling in love with you and wants to start a family with a couple of dogs and a huge back yard and a nice kitchen.

This is a clunky but apt metaphor. Nice to have around, but you don't want to be talked into a corner

Not that hot but doesn't have bad breath or a tramp stamp. "Well what about me?" You ask yourself as you look into a mirror. "What if this is the best I can do?". "My overweight partner doesn't love me, I got dumped by the unibrow, maybe this is it." Maybe it is New Orleans, maybe it is.

[puja21]

Why? They just traded for him and the team is measurably better since he arrived. In what way has he not lived up to your expectations?

CJ was a good short term pickup and that's about it. Multiple reasons why I think it's just a short term pickup (I was a fan of the trade).

Once Zion returns CJ in r starting lineup doesn't make all that much sense. BI and Zion will provide more than enough offense, they don't need another only scorer who wants the ball in his hands.

CJ's game most likely isn't going to age all that well. He still has 2 more years on his deal. I don't think he's going to be the most effective player 33+ years old and that will be his age starting his next contract.

keeping cj makes all kinds of sense because no team goes anywhere without vets....period. end of story

Sure, but why does CJ have to be that vet -- at just 6'3" tall, poor defender, and earning $69M combined for age 32 and 33 seasons + whatever extension beyond that. CJ alone accounts for 23% and 24% of the Pels' salary this year and next.

In their first title season, the Warriors' 4 players over age 30+ were Iggy (31), Barbosa (32), Bogut (30), and David Lee (31).
David Lee was their highest paid player (20.6%) but earned more than Curry/Klay/Draymond combined.

The Pels don't have the luxury of their best players being on value deals.
JV, Ingram, Graham, are all earning around market value on long term deals.
Zion doesn't play often enough to make his cheap deal helpful.

Unless they blow up the rest of the roster, this team is probably better served by more affordable vets than CJ.

[Pickled Prunes]

CJ was a good short term pickup and that's about it. Multiple reasons why I think it's just a short term pickup (I was a fan of the trade).

Once Zion returns CJ in r starting lineup doesn't make all that much sense. BI and Zion will provide more than enough offense, they don't need another only scorer who wants the ball in his hands.

CJ's game most likely isn't going to age all that well. He still has 2 more years on his deal. I don't think he's going to be the most effective player 33+ years old and that will be his age starting his next contract.

keeping cj makes all kinds of sense because no team goes anywhere without vets....period. end of story

Sure, but why does CJ have to be that vet -- at just 6'3" tall, poor defender, and earning $69M combined for age 32 and 33 seasons + whatever extension beyond that. CJ alone accounts for 23% and 24% of the Pels' salary this year and next.

In their first title season, the Warriors' 4 players over age 30+ were Iggy (31), Barbosa (32), Bogut (30), and David Lee (31).
David Lee was their highest paid player (20.6%) but earned more than Curry/Klay/Draymond combined.

The Pels don't have the luxury of their best players being on value deals.
JV, Ingram, Graham, are all earning around market value on long term deals.
Zion doesn't play often enough to make his cheap deal helpful.

Unless they blow up the rest of the roster, this team is probably better served by more affordable vets than CJ.

CJ isn't a bad defender. He got cooked a bit playing next to Lillard for 8+ seasons, always taking the tougher perimeter assignment. He's not special, but he can hold his own.

But the bottom line is that we don't know what that extension might look like. We do know what his offensive versatility and his leadership have done for NOP. It's night and day.

[Lalouie]

CJ was a good short term pickup and that's about it. Multiple reasons why I think it's just a short term pickup (I was a fan of the trade).

Once Zion returns CJ in r starting lineup doesn't make all that much sense. BI and Zion will provide more than enough offense, they don't need another only scorer who wants the ball in his hands.

CJ's game most likely isn't going to age all that well. He still has 2 more years on his deal. I don't think he's going to be the most effective player 33+ years old and that will be his age starting his next contract.

keeping cj makes all kinds of sense because no team goes anywhere without vets....period. end of story

Sure, but why does CJ have to be that vet -- at just 6'3" tall, poor defender, and earning $69M combined for age 32 and 33 seasons + whatever extension beyond that. CJ alone accounts for 23% and 24% of the Pels' salary this year and next.

In their first title season, the Warriors' 4 players over age 30+ were Iggy (31), Barbosa (32), Bogut (30), and David Lee (31).
David Lee was their highest paid player (20.6%) but earned more than Curry/Klay/Draymond combined.

The Pels don't have the luxury of their best players being on value deals.
JV, Ingram, Graham, are all earning around market value on long term deals.
Zion doesn't play often enough to make his cheap deal helpful.

Unless they blow up the rest of the roster, this team is probably better served by more affordable vets than CJ.

the pels were 22-32 before cj and 14-14 with him
that's a positive when the pels were standing at the cliff while thay saw the other young teams having good seasons. iirc, it was very dark

[Bk68]

He just said he's not going anywhere. Why extend him. He would have been a lifetime Blazer and an all-time fan favorite if he wasn't overpaid on his current contract. He did everything right, but we gave him more than we should have because he was loyal and a great ambasdodor
Don't blame him for signing it. Wish he was still a Blazer ( making 24 mil as opposed 30)

[LewisnotMiller]

Why? They just traded for him and the team is measurably better since he arrived. In what way has he not lived up to your expectations?

The extension would kick in 2 years from now. CJ would be 33 by the time he plays a game on that next contract, that's the problem

But you have no idea of the terms of the deal. He isn't on a max now and he won't be then. You can't make a blanket statement like "Would be a big mistake for them to extend him" without knowing the terms of a proposed extension.

Yep, agreed.
Paying CJ too much, when the extension doesn't even start until two years time, is a somewhat likely outcome.
But he's an adult, and clearly helped the team settle. Keeping him is great, just not at any cost.

[Pickled Prunes]

The extension would kick in 2 years from now. CJ would be 33 by the time he plays a game on that next contract, that's the problem

But you have no idea of the terms of the deal. He isn't on a max now and he won't be then. You can't make a blanket statement like "Would be a big mistake for them to extend him" without knowing the terms of a proposed extension.

Yep, agreed.
Paying CJ too much, when the extension doesn't even start until two years time, is a somewhat likely outcome.
But he's an adult, and clearly helped the team settle. Keeping him is great, just not at any cost.

I can see them working out a descending contract. CJ's a smart dude and he wants to win. I can easily see them coming to an agreement that makes sense for everyone involved.