CJ McCollum has expressed his desire to finish his career in a Hawks uniform. Following a season that had so much volatility and turnover, McCollum's veteran presence was a key factor in the team's late-season surge to the playoffs.
Before they acquired the veteran guard from the Washington Wizards on January 7th, the Hawks had a 17-21 record, sitting just outside of the playoff picture. However, since his acquisition, they ended the season going 29-15, complimented heavily by his veteran leadership.
Though their first-round series against the Knicks ended in humbling fashion, the 34-year-old guard gave New York their biggest scare of their entire playoff run, with three consecutive games of 23+ points in games four, five, and six.
McCollum seemed to embrace this villain role in lieu of Trae Young's departure, and that's not the type of player Atlanta should be lenient on shopping this offseason.
The Hawks are in desparate need of a mediator
Being able to retain CJ McCollum for the 2026-27 season would provide much needed continuity to a team that finally looks to be establishing an identity. When the Hawks first brought him in, he was never expected to fill up the box score. Instead, he was brought in to aid in the development of the team's young and promising core.
Keeping the veteran leadership in-house would undoubtedly benefit the team as a whole ahead of next season, but this arrangement would also benefit McCollum based on his late-career aspirations.
After spending the last half-decade as the veteran presence on many struggling organizations, Atlanta gives McCollum the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to a team ready to compete in the East.
While the Hawks have been painfully and consistently average across the last five seasons, the end to their 2025-26 campaign indicates momentum being built ahead of a pivotal offseason.
Atlanta must capitalize on their offseason and truly bring in pieces that will compliment their young core. CJ McCollum is a major catalyst to that philosophy, but retaining him may require sacrifices from both parties.
He may need to sacrifice some money in order to be brought back
For McCollum, finishing his career on a contending Hawks team will likely require a team-friendly contract. After making over $30 million last season, and now an unrestricted free agent, he would warrant a severe pay-cut to preserve his spot on the roster.
Atlanta should be eager to negotiate with McCollum, as last season proved how valuable his intangible traits are to this squad. However, this would mean that if McCollum's not the one being shopped around, other younger players might become the sacrificial lamb.
Last season showed that this Hawks team can be competitive, but running it back with the same rotation won't bring Atlanta to the promised land. New players must be brought in, and other players must be shipped elsewhere. Who those players might be is unclear as of now, but Atlanta should prioritize their core over their young pieces who haven't quite developed yet.
Shipping those players while they still have value would open up a lot of cap space for them to sign complimentary pieces to this core.
Whether that be Zaccharie Risacher, Onyeka Okongwu, or even Asa Newell, someone will have to take the fall if Atlanta's aiming for a culture shift. Retaining CJ McCollum should be their #1 priority to truly enable this culture shift.
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