12 points and 4 assists! A debut that crushed the Warriors! This year's first major trade

A few days ago,the Hawks sent Trae Young to the Wizards and received CJ McCollum and Cory Kispert in return.

The 34-year-old McCollum has completed his Hawks debut, playing roughly 24 minutes off the bench, scoring 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting, plus adding 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, with a game-high +19 plus-minus, helping the team crush the Warriors 124-111 on the road.

Warriors' stats are as follows:

McCollum will surely thank his former rivals, the Warriors, as nothing is a better gift to a new team than a victory.

The Hawks are the fourth NBA team McCollum has played for in his career, having previously worn the jerseys of the Trail Blazers, Pelicans, and Wizards. This season, his contract pays him a salary of $30.67 million. Dallas reporter Afseth revealed that the Hawks are interested in re-signing McCollum, possibly offering a one-year deal worth around $20 million.

So far this season, the Hawks hold a 20-21 record, ranking ninth in the Eastern Conference, trailing the sixth-place Magic by 2.5 games. They may continue to be active in the trade market. Previously, they showed interest in the Mavericks’ interior star Anthony Davis, but unfortunately, he recently suffered a left-hand ligament injury that might require surgery and could sideline him for several months or even the rest of the season.

Insider Shams reported,that due to Anthony Davis’s serious injury, any trade discussions involving him are likely to be completely paused for this season.Davis’s current contract runs through the summer of 2028, with a salary of $54.13 million this season and a combined $120 million in the following two seasons.

Since the Hawks are no longer pursuing Davis, McCollum doesn’t need to worry about being traded a second time this season. Earlier reports indicated that the Mavericks’ asking price for Davis from the Hawks included the 2024 first overall pick, Richaun Holmes, plus a veteran in a contract year (either Porzingis or Kennard).

In fact, it’s not a bad move for the Hawks to keep McCollum. Having him as a super sixth man will greatly help the team push for the playoffs. He has consistently averaged over 20 points per game for the past 10 seasons, making him a very reliable offensive threat.

As the saying goes, having an elder at home is like having a treasure.

The Wizards sending such a quality veteran like McCollum to Atlanta means the Hawks owe them a late-night treat.