Pelicans Star CJ McCollum Gets Honest About NBA Trade Rumors

CJ McCollum met with the media on Wednesday.

Sep 26, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) during a press conference at the New Orleans Pelicans Media Day from the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans have gotten off to a poor start to the 2024-25 NBA season.

After coming into the year with a lot of hype, the team has dealt with a shocking amount of injuries that have hindered their play on the court.

Due to their struggles, there have been many trade rumors surrounding a lot of key players on the roster.

On Wednesday, star guard CJ McCollum was asked about the situation when he met with the media.

McCollum: "You gotta do your job. Your job is to prepare and give your best effort each night... Teams are going to be circling like sharks to try to figure out who they can poach. Our team is maybe entertaining, maybe not entertaining trades. Who knows... If teams are calling and inquiring about you, that means that you have value beyond where you're currently at."

McCollum is in his fourth year playing for New Orleans.

The 33-year-old is averaging 21.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals per contest while shooting 44.1% from the field and 33.1% from the three-point range in first 14 games of the 2024-25 season.

Dec 12, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) stands on the court against the Sacramento Kings during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Pelicans are the 15th seed (last place) in the Western Conference with a 5-22 record in 27 games.

They have gone just 1-9 over their last ten games (and are also in the middle of a four-game losing skid).

On Thursday evening, the Pelicans will resume action when they visit Jalen Green and the Houston Rockets in Texas.

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