The Clippers might’ve dodged a bullet.
At one point, LA was seriously eyeing CJ McCollum as a potential answer at guard. The team was still searching for rhythm, and McCollum-then with Washington-was on the radar as a stopgap solution.
But as the Clippers started clicking, the urgency to make a move faded. Eventually, McCollum was dealt to Atlanta in the blockbuster trade that sent Trae Young to the Wizards, and the Clippers stood pat.
Looking back, that decision is aging well.
Instead of pulling the trigger on a veteran guard who’s struggled to find his footing in Atlanta, the Clippers leaned into their internal development and gave 2025 second-round pick Kobe Sanders a real shot. That move has paid off. Sanders has brought energy, composure, and a surprising level of maturity to the backcourt-qualities that have made him a more seamless fit than a high-usage veteran like McCollum might’ve been.
Meanwhile, Atlanta’s decision to bring in McCollum as part of the Trae Young trade has raised some eyebrows. With Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels already on the roster, the Hawks weren’t exactly hurting for guards. And with Washington offering expiring contracts like Khris Middleton’s, Atlanta’s choice to take on McCollum’s deal-rather than clearing cap or targeting a different positional need-feels like a head-scratcher.
So far, the results haven’t been pretty.
McCollum has yet to win a game in a Hawks uniform, and his on-court performance has been tough to watch. In four games, he’s struggled to find rhythm or chemistry with the rest of the roster.
His usage rate is sky-high-31.2%, the highest on the team by a wide margin-but the production hasn’t matched the volume. He’s averaging 15.4 shot attempts per game, but shooting just 40.3% from the field and a rough 18.5% from three.
To put that in perspective: Jalen Johnson, who’s emerging as the face of the franchise and is on track for his first All-Star nod, has a usage rate of just 23.7%. Yet it’s McCollum, not Johnson, who’s dominating possessions. That imbalance is hurting Atlanta’s flow.
Take the final possession against Milwaukee, for example. The Hawks had a chance to snap a three-game skid.
The ball found McCollum, who bobbled it, then forced up a contested, double-clutch mid-range jumper. It didn’t fall.
The Bucks walked away with the win, and the Hawks walked off the court still searching for answers.
CJ McCollum’s usage isn’t just high-it’s inefficient. And for a team trying to retool around young talent, that’s a tough pill to swallow. He’s playing fewer minutes than guys like Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu, and Alexander-Walker, but when he’s on the floor, the offense runs through him-often to a fault.
For the Clippers, this was a near miss that could’ve gone very wrong. On paper, McCollum offered veteran scoring and playoff experience.
But in practice, his current form is far from the steadying presence LA would’ve needed. Instead, they’ve found a more sustainable solution in Sanders, who’s giving them solid minutes without hijacking the offense.
Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don’t make. The Clippers trusted their internal options, and so far, that patience is paying dividends. As for the Hawks, they’ve got some tough decisions ahead-because right now, CJ McCollum isn’t the answer.