Three years ago, no one would have guessed CJ McCollum would go from respected NBA scorer to fighting off criticism about league politics and his place in the game. Yet here he is, suiting up for the Washington Wizards after a wild run that included standout moments next to Damian Lillard and a high-profile term as NBPA president.
The question hanging over McCollum: Can he shake off the noise and get his career back on track, or will the drama off the court keep following him into the 2025-26 campaign?
How Did CJ McCollum’s Tenure as NBPA President Spark Controversy?
A few years back, McCollum was seen as one of the NBA’s better young guards, poised for big things after being picked tenth overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2013 NBA Draft. Coming from Lehigh, a smaller program like Lillard’s Weber State, McCollum exploded onto the scene when he led the Mountain Hawks to a 75-70 upset over Duke in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
McCollum settled in quickly with the Blazers, winning Most Improved Player in 2016. The duo with Lillard powered Portland to the Western Conference Finals in 2019, but playoff letdowns stacked up.
The front office then traded McCollum, Larry Nance Jr., and Tony Snell to the Pelicans in February 2022. In return, Portland got Josh Hart, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tomáš Satoranský, Didi Louzada, a protected first-round draft pick, and two future second-round picks.
While still in Portland, McCollum took on a different spotlight in 2021. He became president of the National Basketball Players Association, taking over for Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers, who had served since 2013. McCollum had already spent three years as NBPA vice president before stepping into the top job.
His four-year tenure at the helm brought plenty of heat, especially during the negotiation of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Fans were quick to voice frustration, and McCollum caught backlash over how the CBA affected teams, particularly regarding the salary cap and keeping contenders together.
Why Did McCollum Defend the NBA’s New CBA and Address Criticism?
Recently, McCollum opened up about his time as NBPA president while appearing on “The Young Man and the Three” podcast. He fired back at critics and discussed some of the knock-on effects of the new CBA. He zeroed in on the tricky subject of the salary cap, admitting that it makes it harder for teams to hold on to their stars, a complaint many fans have had.
“There’s obviously some people have referred to as a hard cap,” McCollum explained. “A hard cap is something you can’t go over. The second apron is like a hard cap, but you can actually go over it; you just have to come out of pocket for it. Historically, the last 10-20 years, two teams have historically gone into what would have been an invisible second apron over the 15-20 years.”
CJ McCollum goes in depth on the NBA’s new CBA and the impact of the second apron on teams decision making, recommend listening to the entire thing pic.twitter.com/Gxg5ezBkXH
— TheYoungManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) July 25, 2025
McCollum also said the changes did not crush the so-called middle class of players.
“But the important thing to remember is that the middle class is not being affected,” McCollum added. “I think they’ve talked about that. There is more movement; guys are getting traded more. Teams are strategically figuring out when they’d like to spend money based on what free agent may be available.”
He admitted that teams get nervous about how much to spend, depending on their situation.
“There’s things that are occurring in the league that may deter teams from wanting to spend money but I think the biggest thing is finding out what the members want,” McCollum said. “Like that’s the biggest thing. I didn’t devise a plan to try to conquer the world. I didn’t have that much trouble, I didn’t have that much control.”
Hearing from players and ensuring their needs were voiced was a top priority for McCollum.
“It’s important that members kind of express themselves, especially to the committee and to the union as to what they really truly care about, whether that is protecting the middle class or protecting guys on minimum salaries,” McCollum said. “Those things are really really important and really crucial. There’s problems that players are having now with being in contract years and their minutes are being changed or receiving DNPs consistently.”
McCollum pushed back on some of the flak, saying middle-class and minimum-salary players are doing better financially. Still, he pointed out that with all the player movement and injuries like Jayson Tatum’s, unexpected problems arise. As an example, he mentioned the Boston Celtics sending out Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis after Tatum’s injury.
“You shouldn’t be punished for drafting well.”
– CJ McCollum on the new CBA
( @OldManAndThree )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 25, 2025
“You shouldn’t be punished for drafting well,” McCollum said. “You should be able to pay and keep and retain the players that you’ve drafted. And when you have a window where you really have a chance to compete and win a championship, you shouldn’t have such severe restrictions.”
What Does a Fresh Start With the Wizards Mean for McCollum’s Career?
It is clear McCollum had his share of issues with his role in helping create the new CBA. With that chapter closed, he can turn the page and see where his game goes.
McCollum is now with the Wizards after being traded this summer, along with Kelly Olynyk and a future second-round pick, for Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, and the 40th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Now, after a string of off-court obstacles and franchise changes, he will try to write a new story in Washington and remind everyone what he can do on the court.
