CJ McCollum's start with the Atlanta Hawks was inauspicious to say the least. He couldn't find his rhythm, and it felt like the harder he pressed, the less effective he was. He was traded for the Hawks former franchise player Trae Young, so he was starting his tenure already at a disadvantage.
Things have changed in a hurry. As the Hawks heated up, so did McCollum, who shot 46.7% from 3-point range in April. He's not likely to be a Hawk for long as his contract expires after this season, but he is going to be a big part of whatever run this squad makes, starting in the first round against the New York Knicks.
He's not the offensive engine Young was, of course, but he is a shot creator, and that remains the most important skill in the league. He's played the most minutes with Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, unsurprisingly, and has elite net ratings when he shares the court with each (plus-13.1 and plus-14.8, respectively). That's instant chemistry.
Having a complementary scoring guard on a team built like the Hawks, where scoring comes from the frontcourt duo of Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu, is crucial. McCollum has brought that. He doesn't need the ball in his hands all the time, and has blended in pretty perfectly.
CJ McCollum was essentially salary filler in Trae Young trade
Reports were that the Hawks were very high on Corey Kispert, who also came over in the deal. McCollum essentially had to be included in any deal to make the finances work, and with how antsy the Hawks were to part with Young, adding McCollum was basically a sure, if we have to addition to push it through.
McCollum has been scoring 18 points a night for seemingly 20 years, and his occasional scoring outburst (he has eight games of at least 25 points with the Hawks) could come in handy as the playoffs intensity. He's here for a (potentially) good time, not a long time.
Young, for what it's worth, will probably be great in Washington. The Wizards simply need talent and a steady hand, and Young will be the best player that roster has seen in many years. Whether he can lead them to deep playoff runs, I have no idea, but he will make them much, much better than they were the past two years. And sometimes trying to just win more games is a noble act.
Overall, I think it's safe to say the Hawks are happy how this trade is shaking out as the playoffs loom.