Hawks, CJ McCollum agree to terms for extension, source says

The team initially brought McCollum off the bench before bumping him intothe starting unit after the All-Star break. The Hawks went 19-4 with McCollum as a starter through the end of the regular season and a playoff berth that bypassed the Play-In Tournament for the first time in four seasons.

McCollum averaged 18.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 41 regular-season games with the Hawks. He shot 35.7% from 3.

With an agreement in place between the two sides, the Hawks continue to have a strong veteran presence in the locker room. The Hawks will likely add another crop of young players to the roster during Tuesday’s NBA draft.

The team had already felt the impact of McCollum’s veteran experience in the locker room, especially as they figured out how to play with eight new players on the roster.

Plus, the Hawks benefited from McCollum’s ability to inject energy into a stagnant offense. That veteran leadership became most apparent in the team’s first three games, including their two wins over the Knicks in the playoffs.

McCollum’s deal continues the Hawks’ more recent trend of signing players to contracts that also maintain future optionality.

With the agreement with McCollum, the Hawks currently project to be $15.5 million below the luxury tax line if they opt to exercise their club option on forward Jonathan Kuminga.

Including McCollum’s contract, the Hawks currently have 11 players signed to contracts. The Hawks, of course, could add three young players to the roster should they keep all three draft picks. They currently have two first-round picks, as well as one in the second round.