CJ McCollum’s unexpected journey brings him to playoff success in Atlanta

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This role and this moment wasn’t originally designed for him or drawn up for him. This wasn’t supposed to be CJ McCollum’s time, not this season and certainly not with the Atlanta Hawks or in these playoffs.

The Hawks groomed Trae Young for this. They drafted him, endured his weaknesses and celebrated his strengths and built the team around those until a few months ago when the franchise and the franchise player reached a fork in the road.

And so, who would replace him and eventually have the ball in his hands with playoff games on the line? How about a 34-year-old who spent his entire career — a solid one, though not star-filled — as a secondary option and now is in the homestretch of his basketball life?

Well: Why not CJ McCollum?

When the Hawks traded Young to the Washington Wizards at the deadline and didn’t receive a massive haul in return — certainly not the five first-round picks and a swap the New York Knicks shipped to Brooklyn for Mikal Bridges — it was largely viewed for what it was, a move to avoid paying Young a potential maximum extension.

The Hawks were unwilling to do that, which was a show of no-faith. Which was their right. But in exchange, the Hawks didn’t exactly cash in. They received McCollum (along with Corey Kispert), who was immediately asked to come off the bench. Yes, a role player for a franchise player.

A capstone for the renovation

Now, look: McCollum is among the most impactful players in these NBA playoffs and certainly a sudden hero in Atlanta, where a pair of massive shots in the final minutes of a pair of first-round Hawks victories have the Hawks up 2-1 on the Knicks.

So, to recap: McCollum just slid into Young’s role and is performing as good as Young would … or maybe even better. And at a fraction of the financial commitment.

This is why Onsi Saleh, the Hawks new general manager, is off to a tremendous start since taking over last spring. Not only did he have the guts to trade Young, who was a popular player in Atlanta, but he also swung another mid-season deal, for Jonathan Kuminga. And neither is Saleh’s most meaningful deal at least from a promise standpoint.

He traded down in last June’s draft and scooped a 2026 unprotected No. 1 pick from the New Orleans Pelicans, who will be in the lottery; that could land Atlanta a top-four or five selection in a stacked draft.

But while nominating Saleh for Executive of the Year, it’s proper to salute one of the moves and the guy who helped make this possible, and that’s McCollum.

“I know I’m closer to the end than the beginning,” McCollum admitted. “For me, it’s about maximizing each day, maximizing the talent. The team has a huge faith in me and my talent. I think they appreciate my approach.”

Quickly building a foundation in Atlanta

McCollum has endeared himself to everyone around him — fans, coaching staff, management, teammates – in a short amount of time, just two months. That speaks to his skills to connect; after all, McCollum is a former president of the player’s union and it was his responsibility to bond with role players and superstars and the suits in the NBA office.

So from that standpoint, he was built for the one fringe benefit that he offers the Hawks — leadership.

“You see the things on the court, the way he can make a big shot and make a play for someone else,” said Hawks coach Quin Snyder. “The things most people don’t see have had a big impact on our team. When he first got here I asked him to come off the bench ‘cause I thought it was important to the other players and their role. I asked CJ to accept a different role than what he had.

“That was a foundational moment that has allowed him to lead. That’s the biggest thing for us, that he’s a leader. He has not been a point guard but a `lead’ guard and his voice has been important for our team.”

McCollum has also used his voice as a bullhorn twice — in Game 2 when he let Madison Square Garden know about the Hawks and him following his tremendous fourth quarter and finish, and then a handful of times Thursday in State Farm Arena to roust the energy from the crowd.

“It’s good to see,” said Hawks swingman Dyson Daniels, who was previously teammates with McCollum in New Orleans. “And he’s having fun out there. He knows what it takes to win.”

How he got here

McCollum’s prime was spent in Portland, next to Damian Lillard, Robin next to Batman, although opponents always had a healthy amount of respect for McCollum. His ability to drop mid-range shots made him old school — a refreshing weapon in a league that emphasizes the 3. McCollum always managed to find the sweet spot on the floor, where the defense was absent, which allowed him plenty of open looks.

He has been traded twice since then, to the Pelicans and then Wizards; both situations were spent with teams in transition. In Washington, McCollum was viewed as prime trade material because he was on the final year of his contract and still had the goods to help a contender.

And here is, with a Hawks team that if nothing else has struck concern in New York.

McCollum has assumed the lead singer role somewhat out of necessity. Jalen Johnson was an All-Star this season, is a strong candidate for All-NBA and at 24 the present and future face of the franchise who made Young expendable. But he hasn’t played to that level through three playoff games partly because this atmosphere is new to him.

Same for Nickeil Alexander-Walker, a 20-point scorer during the regular season connecting on just 31.7% of his attempts in this series.

Therefore, the “role” originally given to McCollum when he arrived has since changed drastically.

“I’m comfortable with failure and I’m comfortable with success,” he said. “I’ve played for a long time. I could’ve missed those shots and I’d approach the game the same way. That’s the sign of someone who’s steady and a sign of someone who does things the right way. I know what it’s like to struggle, to want to be in those situations. I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve never lacked confidence in those situations.”

What comes next

McCollum is dangerous to the Knicks because he has no reason to fear anything. He doesn’t feel pressure. He has made his money. He has already earned respect. He’s secure with who he is and doesn’t sweat about who he isn’t.

That type of player will take the big shot and is willing to live with the result, one way or another.

And the results have been a massive gain, if not a surprising one, for the Hawks.

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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at spowell@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.