<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-cj-mccollum-hilarious-first-tweet-since-blockbuster-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'CJ McCollum’s hilarious first tweet since blockbuster Wizards trade goes viral');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Cj-McCollum.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>CJ McCollum’s hilarious first tweet since blockbuster Wizards trade goes viral</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-24T20:25:37-07:00">June 24th, 8:25pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-24T20:25:49-07:00">June 24th, 8:25pm</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Washington Wizards completed a polarizing trade with the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-wizards-trade-grades-for-jordan-poole-cj-mccollum-swap">moving on from Jordan Poole</a> and the almost $66 million left on his contract and welcoming in veteran guard CJ McCollum. The franchise is creating more financial flexibility in the long run and further reshaping the roster’s core. Many fans applaud the team’s big-picture outlook, while others think general manager Will Dawkins gave up too much.</p><p>McCollum is used to mixed reactions, considering he has played for inconsistent squads during his career and currently serves as NBA Players association president. Naturally, the 33-year-old’s departure from The Big Easy and transition to Washington D.C. commanded much attention on social media. <a href="https://x.com/CJMcCollum/status/1937597539353559424" rel="noopener">One post particularly caught his eye</a>.</p><p>“The funniest tweet I’ve seen today is that I’m going to get blamed for the tariffs now too,” McCollum remarked on X, adding a couple of laughing emojis and seemingly alluding to the controversial Collective Bargaining Agreement he helped put into effect in 2023.</p><p>Many people take issue with the increased luxury tax penalties that are in place, which make it difficult for teams to retain championship rosters for an extended period of time. The Denver Nuggets have watched multiple key members from their 2023 title squad leave the last couple of years and the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/kristaps-porzingis-trade-grade-hawks-celtics-deal">Boston Celtics just traded Kristaps Porzingis</a> and Jrue Holiday to avoid paying roughly $500 million in payroll expenses. When such sacrifices are made, the fans of these squads curse the name CJ McCollum.</p><p>Given his proximity to the White House, a tax joke was the low-hanging fruit that people could not help but pluck. Regardless of what everyone thinks about the CBA, this player can still make a positive impact.</p><h2><b>CJ McCollum can potentially help the Wizards in their ongoing rebuild</b></h2><p>The Wizards’ top priority must be developing young guys like Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and Bub Carrington, to name a few, but McCollum can help them make strides on the floor and in the locker room.</p><p>He has constantly experienced adversity during his decade-plus run in the NBA, so hard times in Washington should not rattle his confidence. Ideally, the former Most Improved Player of the Year will understand his role on this rebuilding franchise and do his best to push the group through these persistent growing pains. He is a leader, and with that responsibility comes public backlash and frequent stress.</p><p>If McCollum can handle the challenges that lie ahead, the Wizards will take a clear step in the right direction.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

CJ McCollum’s hilarious first tweet since blockbuster Wizards trade goes viral

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-wizards-trade-grades-for-jordan-poole-cj-mccollum-swap');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans, Wizards trade grades for Jordan Poole-CJ McCollum swap');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Washington-Wizards-guard-Jordan-Poole.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans, Wizards trade grades for Jordan Poole-CJ McCollum swap</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-24T13:56:31-07:00">June 24th, 1:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-24T13:56:31-07:00">June 24th, 1:56pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards both finished near the bottom of their conferences. However, both teams had different obstacles throughout the season. The Pelicans were ravaged by injuries, including one that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-cj-mccollum-shut-down-rest-season">ended CJ McCollum’s season in late March</a>. The Wizards, on the other hand, started the season hoping Jordan Poole could lead their group of young players.</p><p>When <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-wizards-cj-mccollum-jordan-poole-trade">New Orleans and Washington swapped McCollum and Poole</a>, fans wondered which team made out in the deal. The Pelicans have a younger, shoot-first guard to put alongside Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III. The Wizards get another veteran to help teach their young players with Khris Middleton and Marcus Smart.</p><p>Here are our trade grades for the McCollum-Poole deal for each team.</p><h2>New Orleans Pelicans: B+</h2><p>When New Orleans traded for Poole, it cleared up one of the biggest problems with their backcourt. Murray and McCollum co-existed well enough last season, but the overall offense struggled. Now, the Pelicans have a former champion who has no problem taking his shots when they come.</p><p>While he is not as good of a spot-up shooter, Poole could thrive in the chaos that Williamson causes as the ball-handler. Defensively, Poole does not offer much improvement over McCollum. However, with Murray back from injury and wings like Murphy III and Herb Jones, he won’t have to do much on that end of the floor.</p><p>Poole proved that he can still get his own shot when an offensive possession falls apart. At 33 years old, McCollum is not as fast as he used to be and struggles to get a step on defenders. Poole’s energy makes a big difference on a team looking to replicate the Indiana Pacers’ style of play. Getting <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1937589524114104829" rel="noopener">Saddiq Bey and a draft pick</a> in the deal should not be overlooked, either.</p><h2>Washington Wizards: B</h2><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-khris-middleton-wizards-kyle-kuzma-trade">Washington brought in Middleton</a>, Smart, and now McCollum to bring some balance to their roster. They could be trying to mimic what the Oklahoma Thunder did this season. Alex Caruso, Kenrich Williams, and Isaiah Hartenstein were crucial to the maturity of the NBA champions.</p><p>At the very least, all three veterans are on expiring deals that will help clear the Wizards’ books before next summer. Washington’s rebuild started when they traded Bradley Beal away in 2023. Two seasons later, they already have four young players that could develop into stars. The Wizards could make it five if they hit on the No. 6 pick in the NBA Draft.</p><p>Washington and general manager Will Dawkins is not trying to win this season. However, moves like this one set the team up well moving forward without wasting the season. Now, it is up to head coach Brian Keefe to convince his veterans to impart as much wisdom as he can on players like Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans, Wizards trade grades for Jordan Poole-CJ McCollum swap

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-wizards-cj-mccollum-jordan-poole-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans, Wizards make CJ McCollum-Jordan Poole trade involving 4 players');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/New-Orleans-Pelicans-guard-CJ-McCollum.jpg"><figcaption>Scott Wachter-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans, Wizards make CJ McCollum-Jordan Poole trade involving 4 players</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-24T12:21:48-07:00">June 24th, 12:21pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-24T13:19:17-07:00">June 24th, 1:19pm</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans are <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1937589524114104829" rel="noopener">trading</a> veteran guard CJ McCollum to the Washington Wizards in a package that sends Jordan Poole to New Orleans, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.</p><p>McCollum is heading to the Wizards along with Kelly Olynyk and a future second-round pick in exchange for Poole, Saddiq Bey, and the 40th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Pelicans now own the 7th, 23rd, and 40th picks in this year’s draft after agreeing to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/indiana-pacers/pacers-news-draft-trade-pelicans-before-nba-finals-game-6">trades with the Indiana Pacers</a> and the Wizards over the last week.</p><p>As he enters the final year of his contract, McCollum embarks on a new journey with his third different team after spending the last four seasons in New Orleans. He will make $30.6 million before entering free agency in 2026.</p><p>With a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-hire-joe-dumars-after-firing-david-griffin">new regime taking over for the Pelicans led by Joe Dumars</a>, this front office had been searching for ways to actively improve their roster around Zion Williamson. McCollum entering the final year of his contract provided the organization with a path to unload salary and immediately find an upgrade at a position of need.</p><p>The Pelicans have long been seeking backcourt help, and since <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-dejounte-murray-season-ending-leg-injury-celtics">Dejounte Murray is still recovering from an Achilles injury</a> he suffered during the 2024-25 season, Poole will slide into a starting role in the backcourt.</p><p>Poole, 26, was a key part of the Golden State Warriors’ championship run in 2022 before he was ultimately <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-golden-state-agrees-jordan-poole-chris-paul-trade-with-wizards">traded to the Wizards in 2023 for Chris Paul</a>. This was a temporary move Washington made at the time, as they have now flipped Poole for quick cap relief.</p><p>In his two seasons with the Wizards, Poole averaged 18.8 points and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 35.3 percent from 3-point range. His dynamic play and ability to push the pace provide the Pelicans with playmaking and speed at the point guard position, two things they lacked with McCollum.</p><p>Bey is another intriguing player for the Pelicans to add to their roster. The 26-year-old forward spent all of the 2024-25 season <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/atlanta-hawks/hawks-news-saddiq-bey-season-ending-torn-acl">recovering from an ACL injury</a> he suffered in March 2024. Before this injury, Bey was a rising scoring wing on a lot of teams’ radar, and he even participated in Team USA activities during the offseason when he was with the Detroit Pistons.</p><p>He will make $6.1 million during the 2025-26 season with two years left on his current contract. This is an intriguing addition for the Pelicans, who already have Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones on the wing. It has become clear that the Pelicans have an agenda to add length and scorers on the wing, which is why taking a low-cost chance on Bey makes sense.</p><p>Both Poole and Bey are 26 years old, putting them on the same timeline as Williamson (24) and Murphy (25).</p><p>Along with sending McCollum to Washington, Olynyk and a future second-round pick are also now in the Wizards’ hands.</p><p>Olynyk was traded to the Pelicans before the trade deadline in February as part of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/toronto-raptors/raptors-news-pelicans-trade-brandon-ingram-nba-deadline">Brandon Ingram trade with the Toronto Raptors.</a> This will be the eighth team Olynyk has played for, although he will likely be on the move at some point in the near future since he will make $13.4 million in the final year of his contract.</p><p>Last season, Olynyk averaged 8.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 41.8 percent in 44 combined games with the Raptors and Pelicans.</p><p>By leveraging Poole and Bey, the Wizards were able to move off long-term contracts in favor of two proven veterans on expiring deals. When factoring in the other expiring contracts Washington owns with Khris Middleton, Marcus Smart, and Richaun Holmes, the Wizards are projected to have close to $100 million in cap space for the 2026 offseason.</p><p>The Wizards continue to build on their young core, and they now have more experienced talents to help mold their recent draft picks and take them under their wings.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans, Wizards make CJ McCollum-Jordan Poole trade involving 4 players

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-cj-mccollum-celebrates-brother-errick-at-euroleague-final-four');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ CJ McCollum celebrates brother Errick at Euroleague Final Four');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/New-Orleans-Pelicans-guard-CJ-McCollum.jpg"><figcaption>Scott Wachter-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ CJ McCollum celebrates brother Errick at Euroleague Final Four</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-23T17:48:08-07:00">May 23rd, 5:48pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-23T17:48:08-07:00">May 23rd, 5:48pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum is coming off a tough end to his 12th year in the NBA. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-season-gets-worse-with-brutal-herb-jones-injury-update">The Pelicans were ravaged by injuries and never quite got their footing</a>. They ended up missing the Western Conference Play-In Tournament, starting their offseason early.</p><p>However, McCollum made the most of it, heading over to United Arab Emirates to cheer on his brother, Errick McCollum. CJ made the trip to the EuroLeague semifinals to cheer on his older brother as he and Fenerbahce beat Panathinaikos 82-76. McCollum had 13 points to go along with three rebounds and two assists in the win.</p><p>The McCollum brothers <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKARK0RvQJt/" rel="noopener">shared a moment</a> during the postgame show, where former EuroLeague and Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt applauded McCollum for his performance.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="instagram-media"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKARK0RvQJt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div><div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div><div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"><div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"><div></div><div></div><div></div></div></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 24px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div><p></p></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKARK0RvQJt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@euroleague)</a></p></div></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>“Tonight he sure was,” said Blatt about the MVP chants McCollum received. “I thought so. I thought he was the difference. Well deserved.”</p><p>The older McCollum brother was unable to find his way into the NBA but has had a long career playing overseas. Both he and his brother provide their teams with consistent scoring, even if they aren’t the biggest stars on their team. However, Blatt said that his performance against Panathinaikos was key to Fenerbahce’s win.</p><p>Errick is getting more postseason experience this year than CJ is. The Pelicans enter the offseason with a long list of questions to answer and McCollum is one of the them. Fans didn’t get to see what last year’s roster was truly capable of when at full health. Changes began when the team traded former All-Star forward Brandon Ingram to the Raptors.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-trade-proposal-for-giannis-antetokounmpo-in-offseason-after-trade-report">McCollum is 33 years old and could also be on the move</a>. He isn’t the scorer he used to be, but there are teams who could value his scoring off their bench.</p><p>Regardless of what happens to him this offseason, McCollum was sure to show his support for his brother. McCollum and Fenerbahce will play Monaco for the EuroLeague title on Sunday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ CJ McCollum celebrates brother Errick at Euroleague Final Four

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-cj-mccollum-shut-down-rest-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum shut down for rest of season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Pelicans-news-Zion-Williamson-CJ-McCollum-shut-down-for-rest-of-season.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum shut down for rest of season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-31T17:05:58-07:00">March 31st, 5:05pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-31T17:35:31-07:00">March 31st, 5:35pm</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He's a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans are going to finish what’s left of their schedule in the 2024-25 NBA regular season without the help of Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum, who have <a href="https://x.com/PelicansNBA/status/1906853112377221470" rel="noopener">both been shut down by the team</a>.</p><p>“The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season due to their respective injuries,” the team shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday night.</p><p>McCollum has missed the last three Pelicans games due to a right foot bone contusion while Williamson has sat out the last five New Orleans outings because of a back issue.</p><p>The 33-year-old McCollum has not played since dropping 40 points in a 136-130 road loss at the hands of the Detroit Pistons on March 23.</p><p>Williamson, on the other hand, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/betting/pelicans-vs-timberwolves-prediction-odds-pick-spread-3-21-2025">most recently played in a 119-115 road win over the Minnesota Timberwolves</a> on March 19, scoring 29 points to go with eight assists and five rebounds plus three steals while shooting 12-for-16 from the floor in 30 minutes.</p><p>Amid New Orleans’ decision to make the season-ending announcements about the statuses of McCollum and Williamson is the fact that the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-rookie-center-reflects-on-challenging-campaign">Pelicans have already been out of contention</a> for a spot in the 2025 NBA Playoffs and in the NBA Play-in Tournament. New Orleans only has a 21-54 record following a 98-94 victory at home last Sunday over the Charlotte Hornets, who are also eliminated from the playoff race. The Pelicans are sitting in the 14th spot in the Western Conference standings with only the 16-59 Utah Jazz owning a worse record.</p><p>With the latest update by the Pelicans, the 24-year-old Williamson concludes his sixth season in the NBA with averages of 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists plus a 56.7 percent shooting from the field through only 30 games.</p><p>As for McCollum, he put up 21.1 points, dished out 4.1 assists and grabbed 3.8 rebounds through 56 games while shooting 44.4 percent from the floor and posting a 55.0 true shooting percentage in his third full season with the Pels, who acquired him via a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2022.</p><p>The Pelicans only have seven games remaining on their schedule before an early vacation.</p><p>New Orleans will play both the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers on the road in their next two games on Wednesday and Friday, respectively, before a home date with the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. After that are two road games versus the Brooklyn Nets (Apr. 9) and the Bucks (Apr. 10). The Pels’ final two games of the season will be played in the Big Easy opposite the Miami Heat (Apr. 11) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (Apr. 13).</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum shut down for rest of season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celebrity/pelicans-cj-mccollum-on-what-hes-taking-advantage-of-while-playing');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelican’s CJ McCollum on what he’s ‘taking advantage of’ while playing');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Pelicans-CJ-McCollum-on-what-hes-taking-advantage-of-while-playing.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelican’s CJ McCollum on what he’s ‘taking advantage of’ while playing</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-25T09:33:33-07:00">March 25th, 9:33am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-25T09:33:33-07:00">March 25th, 9:33am</time><address><a href="http://designsux.com">Burtland Dixon</a>As an avid enthusiast of entertainment, Burtland Dixon is a passionate individual who revels in the magic of movies, sports, music, and pop culture. Whether it's catching the latest blockbuster, watching the marquee matchup of the week, attending live concerts, or getting immersed in the world of gaming, Burtland finds joy in all forms of entertainment.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Celebrity</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/pelicans-cj-mccollum-replicates-wild-franchise-feat-last-done-by-anthony-davis">CJ McCollum</a> isn’t waiting for retirement to chase his post-playing dreams. The New Orleans Pelicans guard has quietly carved out a lane in sports media, proving that brains and buckets can co-exist at the highest level. <a href="https://scoopb.com/2025/03/cj-mccollum-on-inspirations-adjustments-and-the-evolution-of-the-game/" rel="noopener">He’s leaning into his journalism</a> roots from Lehigh, where his passion for storytelling began well before he made a name for himself in the NBA, per ScoopB.</p><p>“<b>I’m taking advantage of it while I’m playing</b>,” McCollum said recently, reflecting on his dual commitment to the court and the camera. That mindset isn’t new. He discussed the idea of expanding his media presence before even entering the league. Now, more than a decade into his career, he’s delivering on that vision.</p><p>In 2022, ESPN brought him onboard as a multi-platform NBA analyst, marking a major step in his media journey. His debut came during the NBA Finals, but that was only the start. From contributing to NBA Countdown to appearing on First Take and SportsCenter, McCollum has become a sharp and articulate voice among active players. He’s also developing a podcast with ESPN, furthering his imprint beyond the hardwood.</p><h2><b>Insight On and Off the Court</b></h2><p>McCollum’s presence isn’t just felt through three-pointers and leadership with the Pelicans. As NBPA President, he has earned the respect of both teammates and executives. ESPN’s Head of NBA Production, David Roberts, noted his influence, calling him “one of the most respected players in the NBA.” That credibility gives McCollum’s analysis weight. His takes aren’t just opinions—they’re layered with experience, strategy, and insight.</p><p>Balancing media and basketball might seem like a lot, but for CJ McCollum, it’s part of the plan. Whether breaking down a zone defense or moderating a segment on ESPN, he’s showing the value of preparation and purpose. And in doing so, he’s redefining what it means to be a modern athlete: one who plays the game and tells its story, simultaneously.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelican’s CJ McCollum on what he’s ‘taking advantage of’ while playing

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/pelicans-cj-mccollum-drops-truth-bomb-on-40-point-franchise-milestone');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ CJ McCollum drops truth bomb on 40-point franchise milestone');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/unnamed-1_540533.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans’ CJ McCollum drops truth bomb on 40-point franchise milestone</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-14T12:05:55-08:00">February 14th, 12:05pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-14T12:05:55-08:00">February 14th, 12:05pm</time><address><a>Daniel Locke</a>Daniel Locke covers the New Orleans Pelicans and is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints. He will graduate from Auburn University with a degree in Journalism in May. Daniel has covered Auburn Athletics for the entirety of his time as a student, focusing on football, men's basketball, and baseball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans earned a 140-133 overtime win over the Sacramento Kings before the All-Star break. They were led to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-news-cj-mccollum-makes-franchise-history-thrilling-ot-win-vs-kings">victory by veteran guard CJ McCollum</a> who finished the game with 43 points, seven rebounds and two assists shooting 16-of-25 from the field and 7-of-12 from 3-point range.</p><p>McCollum’s performance gives him the third-most 40-point performances in Pelicans history with five. He <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4JtMOYL_FQ" rel="noopener">spoke on the milestone after the game</a>, explaining how it does not define him as a player.</p><p>I don’t play the game for that type of stuff,” McCollum said. “It’s nice to hear and it’s great, but I play the game because I love it. I don’t need basketball, I choose to play basketball every day and I choose to be away from my family. I choose to spend time working on my game at night. </p><p>“I think it’s more about the daily habits. If you do what you’re supposed to do consistently, if you take the game seriously, if you maximize your talents and you play long enough, you’ll be able to accomplish those types of things.</p><p>Despite the 2024-25 campaign being less-than-ideal for the Pelicans so far, McCollum believes the team still has things to accomplish and could benefit from staying focused.</p><p>“We’re still very blessed and fortunate to be able to play this sport,” McCollum said. “Obviously, we’re not winning games, we’ve dug ourselves in quite the hole. We haven’t lived up to our personal expectations or outside expectations. But the season isn’t lost, there’s still stuff we can take away from this season, there’s still some character building that can occur.”</p><p>The Pelicans’ 13-42 record places them last in the Western Conference and gives them the second-worst record in the NBA, only beating out the Washington Wizards.</p><p>New Orleans returns to action next Friday, taking on the Dallas Mavericks on the road. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-willie-green-gets-100-honest-on-challenges-without-zion-williamson">The Pelicans will aim to have more success</a> as the season winds down, giving them something to build on going into the 2025-26 campaign.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ CJ McCollum drops truth bomb on 40-point franchise milestone

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/pelicans-news-cj-mccollum-makes-franchise-history-thrilling-ot-win-vs-kings');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ CJ McCollum makes franchise history in thrilling OT win vs. Kings');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Pelicans-news-CJ-McCollum-makes-franchise-history-in-thrilling-OT-win-vs-Kings.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans’ CJ McCollum makes franchise history in thrilling OT win vs. Kings</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-13T21:06:57-08:00">February 13th, 9:06pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-13T21:06:57-08:00">February 13th, 9:06pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>CJ McCollum had an explosive performance in the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/kings-vs-pelicans-prediction-odds-pick-spread-2-13-2025">New Orleans Pelicans’ game against the Sacramento Kings</a>.</p><p>In 41 minutes of action, McCollum scored a game-high 41 points on 16-of-25 shooting from the field and 7-of-12 from beyond the arc. He also contributed with seven rebounds and two assists.</p><p>His performance in overtime made franchise history. Scoring 11 points in the period, he now <a href="https://x.com/StatMamba/status/1890247243548311952" rel="noopener">holds the record for most points scored</a> by a Pelican in any overtime period, per StatMamba.</p><p>Prior to the game, McCollum was averaging 22 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.7 rebounds after 40 appearances. He has shooting splits of 44.9% overall and 37.5% from downtown.</p><h2><b>How CJ McCollum, Pelicans played against Kings</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CJ-McCollum.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>CJ McCollum’s strong performance proved to be pivotal as the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Sacramento Kings 140-133 in overtime.</p><p>McCollum scored 11 of the Pelicans’ 13 points in the overtime period, leading the way as the Kings were unable to keep up with their opponents as the game winded down. New Orleans won despite not having Zion Williamson active for the game and seeing four Sacramento players score 20 or more points each.</p><p>Five other players scored in double-digits aside from McCollum. Trey Murphy finished with 18 points and nine assists and eight rebounds, Jose Alvarado put up 18 points and eight assists, Jerome Robinson-Earl and Jordan Hawkins scored 16 each, while Karlo Matkovic provided 13 points and five rebounds.</p><p>New Orleans improved to 13-42 on the season but remain at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. They are one game behind the Utah Jazz and 10 games behind the Portland Trail Blazers.</p><p>The Pelicans now enter the NBA All Star break. They will resume play on Feb. 21 against the Dallas Mavericks.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ CJ McCollum makes franchise history in thrilling OT win vs. Kings

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/raptors-news-brandon-ingram-playful-shot-cj-mccollum-after-pelicans-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Raptors’ Brandon Ingram takes playful shot at CJ McCollum after Pelicans trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Brandon-Ingram-takes-playful-shot-at-CJ-McCollum-after-Pelicans-Toronto-trade.jpg"></figure><h1>Raptors’ Brandon Ingram takes playful shot at CJ McCollum after Pelicans trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-12T18:23:08-08:00">February 12th, 6:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-12T18:37:33-08:00">February 12th, 6:37pm</time><address><a>Derek Hryn</a>Derek Hryn is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints specializing in NFL and NCAA Football coverage. Derek was previously a fantasy football expert at DK and SB Nation, and he has been featured at FanSided, USA Today, NBC Sports, The New York Post, and others.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Toronto Raptors are coming off a strong victory against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night. They did so without <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-raptors-brandon-ingram-trade-signals-desire-compete-next-year">their star newcomer in Brandon Ingram</a>, who’s yet to make his debut since arriving to the Raptors in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.</p><p>Ingram and the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/raptors-news-brandon-ingram-120-million-contract-extension">Raptors also agreed on a contract extension</a> that keeps him in Toronto as the team continues to build for the future. The 27-year-old forward recently <a href="https://x.com/OmerOsman200/status/1889811060171087998" rel="noopener">discussed his incoming role</a> with his new franchise, and dropped a candid statement comparing former Pelicans teammate CJ McCollum and Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley.</p><p>“I don’t think Immanuel (Quickley) shoots as much as CJ (McCollum),” Ingram said, via Omer Osman on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>Joining a core group of Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Quickley, Ingram has a chance to establish a chemistry when he eventually makes his debut. That is likely to be down the road after NBA All-Star Weekend.</p><h2><b>Brandon Ingram gives the Raptors another star</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Brandon-Ingram-1.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Ingram is a former No. 2 overall pick, and has been a consistent scorer who’s capable of 20-plus points on a given night. After stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans, perhaps Ingram’s next chapter in Toronto will offer him his best chance at becoming a yearly All-Star.</p><p>“But I really really like Quickley’s game,” Ingram continued. He has like a pop to him, a swag to him, that I want to continue to encourage him to have on the basketball floor. I will fit in. I know how to score the basketball I know how to play off-ball. I have been working on my game for a long time, so I will figure it out.”</p><p>Ingram and Quickley complement each other’s play styles. Adding Barnes and Barrett in the mix provides great two-way help, as well. With all players under contract long-term, the Raptors are eyeing a major comeback in the Eastern Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Raptors’ Brandon Ingram takes playful shot at CJ McCollum after Pelicans trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/pelicans-news-cj-mccollum-makes-franchise-history-wild-comeback-win-jazz');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ CJ McCollum makes franchise history in wild comeback win vs. Jazz');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/CJ-McCollum-makes-franchise-history-in-wild-comeback-win-vs.-Jazz.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans’ CJ McCollum makes franchise history in wild comeback win vs. Jazz</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-21T06:48:22-08:00">January 21st, 6:48am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-21T06:48:22-08:00">January 21st, 6:48am</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans came back down 25 points and defeated the Utah Jazz in overtime, 123-119. It took a collective group effort, but it was <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-news-cj-mccollum-50-burger-on-wizards-amid-trade-chatter">CJ McCollum who stole the show</a> for the team, finishing the game with 45 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks. McCollum became the <a href="https://x.com/statmuse/status/1881547773218373661" rel="noopener">first player in franchise history</a> to post those numbers in a game.</p><p>The Pelicans have now won their fourth straight game and seven of their last ten. The team’s rough start to the season was due to injuries, and not everybody was healthy for this game. Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Herb Jones did not play in this game, but they were still able to weather the storm and get a big win.</p><p>Hopefully, as the season continues and they get more bodies back on the court, they can continue to win more games.</p><h2>CJ McCollum reels Pelicans to OT win</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/CJ-McCollum_ce7d98.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>CJ McCollum has been in a groove for the Pelicans as of late, scoring 45 or more points twice in 10 games, and helping the team get back on track. After the game, head coach Willie Green spoke about McCollum’s impact on the floor.</p><p>“CJ was incredible and once he got going I thought his teammates did a great job of trying to find him,” Green said. “We were drawing stuff up for him. He executed offensively over and over again. Without that effort, it’s hard for us to win that game.”</p><p>McCollum isn’t the most athletic, but he knows that his jump shot is one thing that won’t go away for as long as he plays basketball.</p><p>“I ain’t out here dunking on people,” McCollum said. “It’s skill. It’s strategy. It’s angles. It’s footwork. It’s a jump shot that never leaves. I’ll be able to shoot when I’m 40.”</p><p>With so many injuries to the team, it’s been hard for them to get into any type of groove, but since the new year has started, things have changed. McCollum and Dejounte Murray have been on the court together more, and Trey Murphy III has been playing some good basketball for the Pelicans as well. Zion Williamson returned a few weeks ago, and though he may be on a conditioning schedule, he is still making an impact when he’s on the court. The only thing that Pelicans’ fans are hoping for now is Brandon Ingram returning soon, as he’s currently dealing with a right ankle sprain. As for <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-season-gets-worse-with-brutal-herb-jones-injury-update">Herb Jones, he’s out indefinitely</a> with a shoulder injury, and it’s uncertain when he’ll be back for the Pelicans.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ CJ McCollum makes franchise history in wild comeback win vs. Jazz

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celtics-jayson-tatum-on-cj-mccollums-td-garden-turnt-question');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics’ Jayson Tatum on CJ McCollum’s TD Garden ‘turnt’ question');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jayson-Tatum-reveals-CJ-McCollums-turntquestion-about-TD-Garden.jpg"></figure><h1>Celtics’ Jayson Tatum on CJ McCollum’s TD Garden ‘turnt’ question</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-13T08:47:52-08:00">January 13th, 8:47am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-13T08:49:24-08:00">January 13th, 8:49am</time><address><a>Daniel Locke</a>Daniel Locke covers the New Orleans Pelicans and is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints. He will graduate from Auburn University with a degree in Journalism in May. Daniel has covered Auburn Athletics for the entirety of his time as a student, focusing on football, men's basketball, and baseball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-why-joe-mazzulla-welcomed-morgue-environment-win-pelicans">Celtics hosted the New Orleans Pelicans at TD Garden</a> on Sunday night, winning 120-119 in thrilling fashion. Per usual, the Celtics’ home crowd was out in full force. One member of the Pelicans who noticed was CJ McCollum, who made a comment to Jayson Tatum about <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1878820116860752207" rel="noopener">the energy in the arena</a>.</p><p>“It’s never from a lack of energy in the building,” Tatum said. “I was at the free throw line today, and CJ McCollum asked me, ‘Is it always this turnt up in here?’ I was like, ‘Yeah.’ So I think that’s the luxury that we have of playing in front of the best fans in the arena, regardless of [whether] we play on TNT or we playing a team that’s 8-30.”</p><p>The Pelicans overcame the adversity of being a significant underdog as well as playing in front of the hostile crowd and took the Celtics down to the wire. McCollum missed a contested lay-up that would have been the game-winner in the final seconds.</p><p>Tatum put together a remarkable performance, leading all scorers with 38 points and co-leading the game in rebounds with 11 alongside Kristaps Porzingis. Pelicans shooting guard Trey Murphy III had a breakout game, scoring 30 points with six rebounds and four assists while shooting 10-of-17 from the field and 5-of-10 from 3-point range.</p><p>The game’s biggest storyline, however, was the return of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-zion-williamson-breaks-silence-on-1-game-suspension">Zion Williamson, who was suspended by the Pelicans</a> for their win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. In 28 minutes of action, Williamson ended up with 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and five steals.</p><p>If the Celtics’ faithful can show up for a Sunday night contest against one of the league’s worst teams, they will be on another level come playoff time.</p><h2><b>Will the </b>Celtics have home-court advantage in the playoffs?</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jan-3-2025-Houston-Texas-USA-Boston-Celtics-forward-Jayson-Tatum-0-handles-the-ball-against-the-Houston-Rockets.jpg"><figcaption>Erik Williams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Celtics currently have the third-best record in the NBA and the second-best in the Eastern Conference, sitting at 28-11. The Cleveland Cavaliers, 33-5, have a 5.5-game lead over the Celtics for the top spot in the East.</p><p>There is a lot of basketball left to play and the teams will go head-to-head two more times during the regular season. A 5.5-game deficit will be difficult to make up, but not impossible. There is an incredibly high chance, however, of the Celtics having home-court advantage in the first two rounds of the playoffs.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics’ Jayson Tatum on CJ McCollum’s TD Garden ‘turnt’ question

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/ranking-best-cj-mccollum-trade-destinations-if-pelicans-blow-it-up');   ga('set', 'title', 'Ranking best CJ McCollum trade destinations if Pelicans blow it up');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Ranking-best-CJ-McCollum-trade-destinations-if-Pelicans-blow-it-up.jpg"></figure><h1>Ranking best CJ McCollum trade destinations if Pelicans blow it up</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-06T21:49:53-08:00">January 6th, 9:49pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-06T21:49:53-08:00">January 6th, 9:49pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Detroit Pistons</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans may be <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-upgraded-injury-status-signals-potential-return-vs-timberwolves">getting Zion Williamson back soon</a>, but it’s hard to envision them achieving much of anything for the rest of the 2024-25 season. At present, they have a 7-29 record which is “good” for the second-worst win-loss tally in the association — with only the Washington Wizards being worse. This is not at all what the Pelicans envisioned when they pulled off a trade for Dejounte Murray over the offseason that cost them Dyson Daniels, of all people.</p><p>With the <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/42878390/shams-charania-nba-pass-trade-intel-jimmy-butler-brandon-ingram-golden-state-warriors">Pelicans going nowhere fast</a>, it’s becoming more and more likely that they decide to blow it up and start over again. To that end, two players of theirs have reportedly been drawing interest on the trade market, with CJ McCollum and Herb Jones looking like appealing targets for teams looking to bolster their overall shot-creation and defense, respectively.</p><p>The Pelicans, however, will have a more difficult time finding a new home for McCollum that Jones. For starters, McCollum’s contract is <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/_/id/13323/cj-mccollum" rel="noopener">worth $33.3 million</a>, and he has one year left on his contract after this season at $30.6 million. Trading for him will require a huge financial commitment for any team, so that would rule out teams currently above the tax apron from trading for him. But for any team looking to improve its floor on a game-to-game basis, McCollum should be a worthwhile get.</p><p>Here are three teams that would benefit greatly from adding CJ McCollum.</p><h2><b>3. Orlando Magic</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Paolo-Banchero.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Magic have built their contending identity on hard-nosed defense; their defense, which ranks second in points allowed per 100 possessions (just 106.2 points), has kept them afloat through a trying stretch. But their offense leaves plenty to be desired. They <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced?dir=D&amp;sort=OFF_RATING" rel="noopener">rank 27th</a> in offensive rating, which simply isn’t a recipe for success for a team with contending ambitions.</p><p>Now, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/magic-news-paolo-banchero-biggest-christmas-wish-amid-injury-concerns">eventual returns</a> of both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner will do wonders for their offense. But perhaps there is merit to giving their offense a bit of a boost and an additional safety net as they continue their trek atop the Eastern Conference standings.</p><p>Acquiring CJ McCollum, however, will cost the Magic some valuable depth. Trading away Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, Jett Howard, and Cory Joseph can get the deal done, but it’s a bit uncharacteristic for the team to gut their roster for an upgrade that won’t exactly transform them into a surefire championship contender.</p><h2><b>2. Houston Rockets</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Fred-Van-Vleet-Sengun-Green-Rockets.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>As the old adage goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Rockets are definitely not in need of some fixing at the moment. At present, they have a 23-12 record, which is good for second-best in the stacked Western Conference.</p><p>However, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockets-news-amen-thompson-breaks-silence-monster-game-vs-lakers-after-suspension">Rockets’ offense tends to bog down</a> occasionally; Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green are prone to poor shooting nights, and at times, opposing teams can simply wall off the paint and Houston can’t do much of anything on offense other than to rely on their hustle and effort on the glass.</p><p>Now, CJ McCollum isn’t a game-changing piece by any means that would take them to surefire championship contention. But the Pelicans guard should at least give the team another proven shot-creator that they can rely on when the game slows down — a must during the playoffs.</p><p>McCollum has also performed well in the postseason in the past, which is an added bonus for a Rockets team with grand ambitions. It would take parting ways with Jeff Green, Jock Landale, Jae’Sean Tate, and Aaron Holiday to get to the required salary to pull off a trade, but Tate and Holiday have been playing rotation minutes as of late. Tate, in particular, is filling in some minutes amid Jabari Smith Jr.’s injury.</p><p>But this could very well be worth it for the Rockets, with McCollum serving as a stopgap microwave scoring option while Reed Sheppard is developing.</p><h2>1. Detroit Pistons</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cade-Cunningham.jpg"><figcaption>Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>With Jaden Ivey set to be on the sidelines for an extended period of time after suffering a brutal leg injury, the Pistons have a shot-creation void at shooting guard. CJ McCollum would then be a worthwhile trade acquisition, especially when he won’t be a long-term solution for the team at the position anyway, simply serving as a placeholder and a temporary boost <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pistons-news-j-b-bickerstaff-optimistic-jaden-ivey-return-leg-injury">following Ivey’s injury</a>.</p><p>The Pistons have a ton of salary cap breathing room, so they can add McCollum without gutting the team. At 18-18, a playoff spot is right there for the taking for Detroit. McCollum can serve as that missing piece they need to perhaps finish with a winning season — a huge turnaround after finishing last season with an unsightly 14-68 record.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Ranking best CJ McCollum trade destinations if Pelicans blow it up

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-jaylen-wells-off-limits-jimmy-butler-cj-mccollum-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells will be off-limits in potential Jimmy Butler, CJ McCollum deals');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Why-Grizzlies-Jaylen-Wells-will-be-off-limits-in-potential-Jimmy-Butler-deal.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells will be off-limits in potential Jimmy Butler, CJ McCollum deals</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-04T10:59:29-08:00">January 4th, 10:59am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-04T10:59:29-08:00">January 4th, 10:59am</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Everyone loves a Cinderella story, especially when they play for your hometown team. Thankfully for Fedex Forum fans, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-jaren-jackson-jr-not-getting-early-nba-all-star-voting-respect">Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.’s disrespected Memphis Grizzlies</a> have a storybook rookie season unfolding this season. Jaylen Wells might even be worth mentioning with Morant and Jackson Jr. as off-limits assets through the NBA Trade Deadline. Even stars like Jimmy Butler and CJ McCollum do not raise the Grizzlies’ ceiling enough if it means losing Wells.</p><p>Jimmy Butler will reportedly never suit up for the Miami Heat again. Both <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/will-heat-move-jimmy-butler-latest-nba-trade-deadline-intel-siegels-scoop">CJ McCollum and the Pelicans need fresh starts.</a> Taylor Jenkins may like more firepower as Ja Morant (shoulder) battles injury woes but the front office has to be more worried about the long-term viability of such a move.</p><p>Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane are the championship core. Everything else is just window dressing in a way but the franchise has a contingency plan in rookies Wells and Zach Edey. Any newcomer is going to have to step back from their usual mode of operation and make a substantial adjustment.</p><p>Looking at how Wells, Butler, and McCollum <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?PerMode=Per100Possessions&amp;TeamID=1610612763&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=GP" rel="noopener">stack up in their current situations</a> suggests neither veteran would make much of a difference. The money crunch on PoBo/GM Zach Kleiman would be quite significant, however.</p><ul><li><b>Jaylen Wells </b>(4 years, $7.9 million – Grizzlies hold options/rights)</li><li><b>Jimmy Butler </b>($48 million in 2024-25, $52 million Player Option)</li><li><b>CJ McCollum </b>($33.3 million in 2024-25, $30 million 2025-26)</li></ul><p>Sure, Butler and McCollum add a bit more scoring but they would also take the ball away from Morant, Jackson Jr., and Bane. Yes, Butler and McCollum would be useful and short-term upgrades over Wells for the next 50 games. Memphis would have very few bench options in case of emergency. Matching salaries would be difficult without also including Marcus Smart along with other rotational pieces like Sanit Aldama and Jake LaRavia.</p><p>There are several ways to upgrade the current roster without parting ways with Wells. The Grizzlies just have to be patient. Butler and McCollum might not even be the best options available over the next year. The Pelicans are also dealing with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson situations for example.</p><p>Teams that fall short of the NBA Finals will also be looking to restructure. A move now that means losing Wells as an asset is too risky to even consider. Getting greedy by trying to cash in on a surprising Wells now would not only be shortsighted but also <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-taylor-jenkins-memphis-grumble-wild-jaren-jackson-jr-stat-loss-sacramento-kings">out of character for the Grizzlies.</a></p><h2><b>Grizzlies cannot get greedy</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jaylen-Wells-Grizzlies-slips-defense.jpg"><figcaption>Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The long-term strategy cannot be sacrificed for short-term gains. Memphis has more than a handful of first- and second-round picks to work with over the next few seasons. Will any one of those selections wind up being better than Jaylen Wells? That’s doubtful. Wells might be better than Butler and McCollum after another 100 NBA games.</p><p>Opportunity costs matter. Jimmy Butler and CJ McCollum are declining assets. Memphis has operated as a smart small market team on the rise. Unless the front office is absolutely sure that everything will work out, which it can’t be, Wells has to be off the table for any over-30 veteran. The risk is too great for a reward that limits the team’s future, hamstrings the salary cap, and puts a lid on their current potential.</p><p>Trading Wells and other assets for an aging star has more potential to backfire than end with an NBA Finals run. The Oklahoma City Thunder fleeced the Los Angeles Clippers and got Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the process. Wells might not make an All-NBA team, but the All-Star potential is clear.</p><p>It’s a straightforward game plan for the Grizzlies. Keep the second-rounder around for as long as possible on a team-friendly deal and shop elsewhere if needed. Wait out the market, especially considering Butler’s suspension and exile from the Miami Heat. Butler and McCollum will not be the only options available before Jaren Jackson Jr.’s next contract extension kicks in.</p><p>Wells might be the best option regardless of service time or draft position though. That should make the 21-year-old near untouchable going into the NBA Trade Deadline.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells will be off-limits in potential Jimmy Butler, CJ McCollum deals

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/pelicans-news-willie-green-shouts-out-cj-mccollum-after-50-point-outing');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Willie Green shouts out ‘rock solid’ CJ McCollum after 50-point outing');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pelicans-news-Willie-Green-shouts-out-rock-solid-CJ-McCollum-after-50-point-outing.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Willie Green shouts out ‘rock solid’ CJ McCollum after 50-point outing</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-04T08:42:26-08:00">January 4th, 8:42am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-04T08:42:26-08:00">January 4th, 8:42am</time><address><a>Daniel Locke</a>Daniel Locke covers the New Orleans Pelicans and is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints. He will graduate from Auburn University with a degree in Journalism in May. Daniel has covered Auburn Athletics for the entirety of his time as a student, focusing on football, men's basketball, and baseball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After 11 losses in a row, the New Orleans Pelicans got back into the win column against the Washington Wizards on Friday night,  picking up a 132-120 victory to improve to 6-29 on the season.</p><p>Pelicans head coach Willie Green was pleased with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-news-cj-mccollum-50-burger-on-wizards-amid-trade-chatter">effort put in by shooting guard CJ McCollum</a> in the win that the team and city of New Orleans as a whole desperately needed. Green <a href="https://www.nba.com/pelicans/news/washington-wizards-vs-new-orleans-pelicans-postgame-quotes-1-3-2025" rel="noopener">highlighted the quality of teammate</a> McCollum has been despite the less-than-ideal season the Pelicans have had.</p><p>“CJ was incredible tonight,” Green said. “Some of the shots he was hitting tonight. He hit tough ones, he hit easy ones. We just wanted to continue getting the ball to him. He’s such a high-character individual. Every day he comes in, he’s talking to his teammates. Even through the losses, he’s been rock solid for us.”</p><p>McCollum had 50 points, three rebounds, two assists and shot 10-of-16 from 3-point range. His previous season-high in points came in a 36-point outing in the Pelicans’ 111-109 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 12.</p><p>“We feel like we’re letting the fans down,” McCollum said. “We want to win games. We want them to be proud of the team that they support and proud of the team that they go out and cheer for or buy their jerseys, the new cable packages and all of that stuff, but it hasn’t been great. For us, I just think they just need to understand that we are working hard behind the scenes and we understand that there is a lot of season left and we’ve not played well for a lot of the season, and hopefully we can turn it around. It’s nice for them to have something to enjoy for a little bit, to kind of escape everything that may be going on right now.”</p><p>When the city they call home needed it the most, McCollum helped the Pelicans get the job done.</p><h2><b>Can the </b>Pelicans build some momentum?</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Cj-McCollum.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Now that the Pelicans have put an end to that lengthy stretch of losses, can they go on a run and make up some of the ground that has been lost?</p><p>New Orleans has another contest against the Wizards on Sunday, but it will begin a stretch in which it will take on multiple teams in playoff contention afterward. Teams the Pelicans will take on during that stretch include the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies.</p><p>The good news for the Pelicans is power forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-zion-williamson-great-practice-workout-hamstring-injury">Zion Williamson has made progress</a> in his recovery and could join the team on the floor again soon. Williamson’s return and the possibility of forward Brandon Ingram getting back on the floor could be exactly what the doctor ordered for a struggling Pelicans team.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Willie Green shouts out ‘rock solid’ CJ McCollum after 50-point outing

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/pelicans-news-cj-mccollum-50-burger-on-wizards-amid-trade-chatter');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ CJ McCollum drops 50-burger on Wizards amid trade chatter');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Pelicans-news-CJ-McCollum-drops-50-burger-on-Wizards-amid-trade-chatter.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans’ CJ McCollum drops 50-burger on Wizards amid trade chatter</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-03T19:45:59-08:00">January 3rd, 7:45pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-03T19:58:24-08:00">January 3rd, 7:58pm</time><address><a href="https://haydencilley.wixsite.com/hayden-cilley-s-port">Hayden Cilley</a>Hayden Cilley joined ClutchPoints in August 2024 as a Phoenix Suns and Mercury reporter, as well as an Associate Editor. Hayden graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University while covering events like the 2023 NCAA Men's Final Four, the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and the Arizona State men's swim and dive team. He recently covered the Phoenix Mercury for The Next Hoops and PHNX Sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Amidst <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-pelicans-open-discussing-cj-mccollum-trade">CJ McCollum being involved in trade rumors</a>, the New Orleans Pelicans guard <a href="https://x.com/PelicansNBA/status/1875382074971971704" rel="noopener">might’ve increased his trade stock</a>. He dropped a 50-burger on 18-27 shooting against the Washington Wizards in the 132-120 win. Not to mention, McCollum joined three players in an exclusive list. He is one of three players in history with <a href="https://x.com/PelicansNBA/status/1875386717471113420" rel="noopener">50 points and 10+ threes made in 35 minutes or less</a>, according to Statmamba.</p><p>The scoring outburst came as the Pelicans’ sixth win of the season. While the season hasn’t gone their way, McCollum’s performance is symbolic of what the team could be. With Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, that trio can do offensive damage. Unfortunately, injuries have prevented that from transpiring. Interestingly enough, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-news-brandon-ingram-trey-murphy-iii-among-players-out-vs-cavs">Pelicans had a game where eight players were out</a>.</p><p>Those injuries have not played out nicely for New Orleans. They have a 6-29 record and are 15th in the Western Conference. Despite the conference being ultra-competitive, they’ve had the short end of the stick. However, they’ve had impressive wins. For instance, they defeated the Phoenix Suns when Brandon Ingram and McCollum were both playing. Still, his performance was beneficial for all parties.</p><h2><b>CJ McCollum’s 50-burger will increase his trade stock for the Pelicans</b></h2><p>Luckily, McCollum has a more friendly deal than some other stars in the league. Although he’s owed roughly $30 million this season, this game proves he still has the scoring punch. Not to mention, efficiency is a major pull for specific teams to pull the trigger. Teams like the Denver Nuggets could use McCollum. His ball handling, efficiency, and fluid game could mesh nicely with Nikola Jokic.</p><p>Still, the Pelicans are at an interesting point in their roster. They have the roster to compete with other teams. However, some of the youth and veteran presence hasn’t meshed well. Not that the players don’t like each other. There’s a bit of an age gap from guys like Trey Murphy III to McCollum. By the time he’s in his prime, the New Orleans guard might be out of his.</p><p>Regardless, Friday’s win proved that McCollum still has the big-game ability. While he’s focused on winning, it might be a blessing in disguise. <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/pelicans/news/new-report-on-potential-cj-mccollum-pelicans-trade-01jgpr4jhb5r" rel="noopener">Teams would offer picks</a> and be willing to take his salary. No sudden moves could take place. However, the 50-burger will digest nicely in the stomachs of NBA teams. If someone takes a chance, they know that McCollum has the dog in him, as evidenced by Friday’s 50-point barrage.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
22.1	3.8	3.8	0.5	0.7

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
22.1	3.8	3.8	0.5	0.7

CJ McCollum news

CJ
McCollum news