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The New Orleans Pelicans continued to secure their roster core after agreeing to a contract extension with CJ McCallum on Saturday.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, McCallum and the Pelicans have agreed to a two-year, $64 million contract extension that will keep the shooting guard at the Big Easy through the 2025-26 season.
There were rumors that an extension was coming. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the July 6 episode: hoop collective podcast (h/t RealGM.comThe Pelicans and McCallum were set to begin contract negotiations soon.
In the 2022-23 season, second year In McCollum’s three-year, $100 million extension, he signed first with the Portland Trail Blazers in July 2019.
New Orleans acquired McCallum in a midseason trade with the Blazers in February. After being drafted 10th overall in 2013, he spent nine seasons in Portland.
The acquisition of McCallum helped the Pelicans to a 16-14 record in the final 30 games of the regular season. They played a play-in tournament and defeated the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers to claim the 8th seed in the Western Conference.
The biggest question for the Pelicans going into the offseason was Zion Williamson’s future. They quickly replied: give him A designated five-year rookie supermax extension is worth up to $231 million.
Heading into the 2022-23 season, McCallum will be an important glue for the young Pelicans starter.
New Orleans cap is determined by the number of games Williamson can play. Williamson, McCallum, Brandon his Ingram, and Herbert his Jones core have great potential in his conference deep westerns as well.
McCollum played the best basketball of his career after the trade. In his 26 starts, he averaged 24.3 points on the field with his goal completion percentage of 49.3% (in three he had 39.4%) and he had 5.8 assists per game.
