The NBA may not know it yet, but the fate of the 2024-25 season rests in the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans won't be directly influencing the playoffs this year, as they're currently 7-31 and at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, but they could significantly shift the league landscape.
New Orleans may be the most obvious seller ahead of this season's trade deadline. They have a veteran-laden roster built to win now but the record of a team competing for lottery odds. There have already been reports that the franchise has made nearly all its players available and has even been shopping their top players to other teams.
Brandon Ingram was always going to be moved, armed with an expiring contract and an extension demand that the Pelicans have been unwilling to meet. Zion Williamson being on the trading block should be huge news, but it feels like the league might not even be taking it seriously, as there's been little noise surrounding his availability on the market. The same applies to CJ McCollum, who has gone from one of the most underrated players in the NBA to one of the most underrated potential trade targets this season.
CJ McCollum should be a primary trade target for these three contenders
1. Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic have been one of the more surprising teams in the NBA this season. After they made an unexpected run to the playoffs last year, many anticipated them returning to the postseason in 2024-25. However, their prospects suddenly didn't look so good when Paolo Banchero went down with a significant oblique injury early in the campaign that would hold him out for several weeks.
Thanks to their depth and the spectacular individual play of rising star Franz Wagner, though, the Magic found a way to stay afloat while Banchero recovered. Now, they sit at 22-17 with a strong chance at earning homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs.
They've gotten here the same way they won games last season: through the strength of their defense. The Magic currently boasts the second-best defensive rating in the NBA at 106.5 while simultaneously possessing one of the league's most underwhelming offensive ratings at 108.3, good for 27th.
Unfortunately, their attack is just completely non-threatening, especially from beyond the arc where they rank 16th in 3-point attempts (37.0 per game) and 30th in percentage (30.9%). They're also just 26th in assists per game with 23.7. CJ McCollum would greatly help their perimeter game and ball movement without taking the ball out of Paolo and Franz's hands too often. His presence would go a long way towards making the Magic a legitimate title threat.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers have been actively trying to build a championship-level roster around Anthony Davis and LeBron James during the twilight years of the King's reign. Their most recent acquisition saw them sending the oft-maligned D'Angelo Russell back to the Brooklyn Nets along with Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton.
While LA successfully bolstered their wing rotation with a strong 3-and-D piece in DFS, they had to sacrifice a crucial ball-handler and outside creator in DLo to do so. Ultimately, Finney-Smith may prove more useful to the Lakers in their pursuit of a title than Russell, but they needed more perimeter creation before they made the trade. Now, they're desperately needing another shot creator who can alleviate offensive pressure off of James and Davis.
CJ would be a perfect third star in LA. He has the capabilities to play a lite version of Kyrie Irving's role alongside LeBron with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He's developed a lethal deep stroke in New Orleans that would significantly increase the Lakers' floor spacing while also possessing the on-ball scoring ability to manufacture points in a pinch.
3. Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets just haven't been the same since their title run in 2023, largely due to Jamal Murray's fall from superstardom. The Canadian point guard had an abysmal run for the Great White North in the 2024 Summer Olympics and his struggles have extended into this regular season.
Murray is shooting his worst mark from the field since his third season in the NBA at just 43.7 percent. He's also been one of the worst defenders on the team. He's always been a lackluster stopper, but his offensive contributions usually outweigh his defensive deficiencies. That hasn't been the case this year.
Even before Murray's struggles, the Nuggets could have used a bit more outside shooting and perimeter creation to provide relief for Nikola Jokic. CJ would be an ideal weapon for Joker and Denver, capable of running a variety of off-ball actions and launching open threes with aplomb. He could also be the stress valve that Murray was off of the bounce, either in place of him or as an added threat if Murray ever gets his mojo back.