Breaking News: McCollum to D.C. and Poole to the Bayou in Trade Deal

Credit: Instagram.com (@pelicansnba, @washwizards)

Tuesday afternoon, the New Orleans Pelicans agreed to trade shooting guard CJ McCollum, center Kelly Olynyk, and a future second-round pick to the Washington Wizards in exchange for point guard Jordan Poole, forward Saddiq Bey, and the 40th pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. According to league reports, more details are expected later.

McCollum, 33, will be going into his 13th season in the NBA in 2026. The 10th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft is still the only player ever drafted to the NBA out of Lehigh University.  Last season, McCollum averaged 21.1 points per contest on .444/.373/.717 shooting splits. McCollum also became the 11th active player to average 20+ points in ten consecutive seasons.

McCollum established himself in the NBA in the Pacific Northwest alongside future Hall of Fame point guard Damian Lillard in Portland. In the 2015-2016 season, McCollum won the Most Improved Player Award, increasing his scoring average from 6.8 to 20.8. Since then, McCollum has been known as a high IQ, reliable three-level scorer with a crisp handle. 

Poole, 26, will be going into his 6th season in the NBA in 2026. Poole was drafted to the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Draft out of the University of Michigan. Last season, Poole had his best season as a pro, averaging 20.5 on .432/.378/.883 shooting splits. Poole also had a career-high three 40+ point games, with his most impressive performance coming against the San Antonio Spurs, where he dropped 42 points, shooting 68 percent from the field (15/22) and 67 percent from deep (6/9). 

Poole spent his first four seasons in California, playing alongside one of the greatest trios in NBA history. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green represented the core of the Warriors’ dynasty, capturing four championships in their time together. 

Poole broke out in the 2021-2022 season, where he was key to the Warriors championship run. He averaged 17 points on .508/.391/.915 shooting splits, resulting in him becoming a NBA Champion at 22 years old. Poole has a smoothness to his game that fits the modern NBA. Crafty handles, acrobatic finishes, and difficult shot making are what makes Poole’s game entertaining to watch.

While both of these players can help their new clubs, do not be surprised to see their names during the 2025 NBA Draft this Thursday. The Pelicans look like they have won this trade, but it remains to be seen how this trade will affect both teams' offseason moves.

Thank you for reading!

Elias Meredith (@EAM_55)