For most of the 2025-26 season, CJ McCollum was easy to overlook. He split the year between the rebuilding Washington Wizards and the Atlanta Hawks, neither of whom were generating national attention, and his $30.7 million salary made it tempting to write him off as an expensive remnant of a better era. Then the Hawks faced the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, and McCollum reminded everyone who he is. The top free agent rankings have him at No. 19 for good reason.

McCollum, turning 35 before next season, averaged 18.7 points per game across 76 games this year while shooting 37.5 percent from three-point range. Those numbers are not far from his career averages, which is itself a remarkable statement about his durability and consistency. He has never been an All-Star, but he has been one of the most reliable 18-point scorers in the NBA for a decade — a player who can create his own shot off the dribble, hit pull-up jumpers in the mid-range, and do it all at high efficiency.

His early playoff performance against New York was the exclamation point. Facing one of the best defensive teams in the East, McCollum gave the Knicks problems in the first two games before Atlanta’s supporting cast limitations caught up to them. For a player turning 35, that kind of high-pressure production in a playoff environment is the most valuable audition he could have had entering free agency.

The financial reality is that McCollum will not earn $30.7 million again. His next deal will likely start in the $12–16 million range — a significant reduction, but fair for a player at his age who can still contribute 18 points per game in a sixth-man or starting role on a contending team. The question is which franchise gives him the best chance to compete for a title in what could be the final chapter of a remarkable career.

Atlanta is the most straightforward option. The Hawks exercised Jonathan Kuminga’s team option, have Darius Garland in the fold, and are building something young and interesting. McCollum as a one-year veteran presence at $13–14 million — mentoring Kuminga and Mathurin while providing secondary scoring — makes genuine sense. But he could also be an attractive target for contenders who need scoring off the bench.

Player	2025-26 Salary	Rights	Projected Market
CJ McCollum	$30.7M	Full	1–2 yrs, $12–16M/yr
Jonathan Kuminga	$23.8M	Team option ($24.3M)	Option expected to be exercised
Gabe Vincent	$11.5M	Full	Minimum or depart

Atlanta should bring McCollum back on a one-year, $13 million deal and use his veteran presence as a bridge while the younger core — Kuminga, Garland, and Mathurin — develops chemistry. McCollum’s playoff experience, shot creation, and leadership are exactly what a young team preparing to make a genuine push in 2027 needs in its locker room. One more year in Atlanta, on fair terms, makes sense for everyone involved.