"McCollum's playing at a high-level still and at 34, the Lehigh product has shown there's plenty left in the tank. In what will be a primary veteran leadership role with the Wizards, McCollum may not be asked to put as many minutes on his body as he would have on a playoff hopeful squad like the New Orleans Pelicans. Part of that is due to the Wizards making it a priority for young talent to see plenty of playing time."
"However, the other major factor that will limit McCollum's time on the court is Washington's hope that keeping the guard healthy and allowing him to prove his value will position them to finally capitalize on the strategy they've been chasing over the last two years. Washington is looking to bolster their rebuild by flipping veterans to contending teams in efforts to bring in additional draft capital and young players, similar to what they did with the AJ Johnson in the Kyle Kyuzma deal last season."
"Following the deal to acquire McCollum, there was no realistic trade suitor for the guard that Washington could immediately focus in on when they hoped to offload him ahead of the NBA trade deadline in February. Nonetheless, with the devastating injury news dealt to the Houston Rockets after losing guard Fred VanVleet for the season, Washington may be the perfect partner for Houston to target."
CJ McCollum joins the Washington Wizards at age 34 and remains a high-level scorer with playmaking ability. He will serve primarily as a veteran leader while seeing reduced minutes to protect his health and provide developmental opportunities for young teammates. Washington aims to preserve McCollum's value so they can flip him to contending teams for draft capital and young players as part of their rebuild strategy. The Houston Rockets, after losing Fred VanVleet for the season, represent an immediate potential trade partner where McCollum could provide reliable backcourt scoring and playmaking.
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