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McCollum Signs $21M Deal, Delivers Game-Winner, Hawks Advance

6/22/2026

37 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

McCollum Extends

CJ McCollum signed a one-year, $21 million extension with the Atlanta Hawks on April 28 2026.
He was acquired in January 2026 via the Trae Young trade and became a starter after the All-Star break.
Atlanta posted a 19-4 record with McCollum starting and finished 20-6 after the break, earning the No. 6 Eastern seed.
In the first round, McCollum scored 32 points in Game 2 and hit the game-winner in Game 3.

Summary

McCollum Rise

He scored 30 points for Lehigh in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, upsetting No. 2 Duke.
He earned the NBA Most Improved Player award in the 2015-16 season, launching his scoring prominence.
Since 2015-16, he has recorded at least 150 three-pointers each season, the only active player with an 11-year streak.
Agent Sam Goldfeder of Excel Sports Management negotiated a trade kicker in his $21 million extension, a notable veteran-deal feature.

Summary

McCollum Re-signs

General manager Onsi Saleh said the one-year, $21 million extension represents a commitment to continuity.
The extension keeps McCollum as a veteran locker-room leader to mentor the emerging core, including franchise cornerstone Jalen Johnson.
A trade kicker in the contract provides Atlanta flexibility to acquire additional assets while retaining McCollum through the 2026-27 season.

History

Historical Context

The NBA and the NBPA ended the brief 1995 lockout by signing a new CBA that tightened salary-cap rules and gave teams more contract tools; that year players earned roughly 57 % of basketball-related income. Later agreements—most notably the 2005 CBA and the post-2011 lockout deal—reduced the players’ share to about 50 % and further refined cap flexibility, influencing how teams structure veteran contracts today.

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McCollum Extends

CJ McCollum signed a one-year, $21 million extension with the Atlanta Hawks on April 28 2026.
He was acquired in January 2026 via the Trae Young trade and became a starter after the All-Star break.
Atlanta posted a 19-4 record with McCollum starting and finished 20-6 after the break, earning the No. 6 Eastern seed.
In the first round, McCollum scored 32 points in Game 2 and hit the game-winner in Game 3.

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