Ranking best CJ McCollum trade destinations if Pelicans blow it up

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The New Orleans Pelicans may be getting Zion Williamson back soon, 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.

With the Pelicans going nowhere fast, 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.

The Pelicans, however, will have a more difficult time finding a new home for McCollum that Jones. For starters, McCollum’s contract is worth $33.3 million, 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.

Here are three teams that would benefit greatly from adding CJ McCollum.

3. Orlando Magic

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 rank 27th in offensive rating, which simply isn’t a recipe for success for a team with contending ambitions.

Now, the eventual returns 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.

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.

2. Houston Rockets

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.

However, the Rockets’ offense tends to bog down 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.

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.

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.

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.

1. Detroit Pistons

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 following Ivey’s injury.

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.

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