Clippers rumors: CJ McCollum linked to Los Angeles through a trade

The 2025 Los Angeles Clippers season has been disappointing to start. They sit at 7-21 despite a talented roster on paper. They might also be buyers at the trade deadline because they still have talent on this roster and need to make a move to jump-start the team. They also need to keep winning because they don’t own their first-round pick this season; the Thunder do instead.

ClutchPoints’ own national NBA reporter and insider, Brett Siegel, reported that veteran Washington Wizards guard CJ McCollum is being brought up in trade discussions with the Los Angeles Clippers. We still have six weeks left before the trade deadline, and there is uncertainty around what the Clippers have planned, but McCollum would fit what they want to do and push for the postseason.

Siegel said, “Some around the league tend to believe McCollum is obtainable for two or three second-round picks, and with him being on an expiring contract, he would make sense for the Clippers, a team looking to make a last-ditch effort to contend this year.”

Tyronn Lue and management are still indicating that this group will push for the playoffs, yet that just became even more difficult with Ivica Zubac spraining his ankle.

The issue facing the Clippers is that they desperately need offensive scoring. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden can only do so much, and it does not help that Bradley Beal had his season cut short after suffering a hip fracture. Overall, Los Angeles ranks 24th in offensive rating and sits as the league’s third-lowest scoring team at 110.6 points per game. Injuries and roster instability have also worsened the issue.

McCollum would be an instant contributor. The 34-year-old is averaging 18.8 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game in Washington, while shooting 39.9% from three-point range and 44.5% from the field overall. Even at 34, McCollum has shown that he is still a great scorer for the Wizards.

The issue holding a move like this up is the financial aspect. CJ McCollum has a $30.7 million salary, which is highly steep for any guard over 30. Any deal would require Los Angeles to send out matching salary, likely involving additional contracts or expiring flexibility. However, if the Clippers view themselves as a playoff contender, then McCollum’s expiring contract could actually be more attractive.

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