CJ McCollum Reacts to Hawks Trade as Trae Young Dealt to Wizards Ahead of NBA Deadline

CJ McCollum had nothing but good things to say about the Washington Wizards after they traded him to the Atlanta Hawks in a blockbuster trade for Trae Young on Wednesday.

McCollum praised the organization and the city and said he's looking forward to joining the Hawks.

"Loved my time in DC. Organization was great to my family and I," McCollum told NBA insider Chris Haynes. "Michael Winger and Will [Dawkins] did everything they said they would and kept their word from the very beginning. Love the city and they're doing things the right way over there. Exited to get to The A and get to work. Very familiar with their style of play. Love the ownership group and front office. Good group of players."

McCollum's time with the Wizards was brief. After spending four seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans, he was traded to Washington last summer in a deal involving Jordan Poole, so he's played just 34 games for the Wizards.

This season, McCollum is putting up 18.8 points per game, and he'll look to keep up that production in Atlanta.

While McCollum said that he's excited for the opportunity to play for the Hawks, he may not want to get too comfortable with the trade deadline looming. ESPN's Shams Charania noted that Atlanta trading Young "added financial flexibility to pursue a large salary over the next several months," adding that Dallas Mavericks' Anthony Davis is a "prime trade target."

If the Hawks decide to make another big move to improve their roster, it wouldn't be surprising for McCollum to once again be on the move.

For now, he'll look to settle into Atlanta and make an impact immediately. The Hawks could use a veteran to spark a mid-season turnaround after an 18-21 start to the year.