CJ McCollum Expected to Make Pelicans' Debut Thursday vs. Heat

The New Orleans Pelicans announced that CJ McCollum would make his team debut Thursday in a matchup with the Miami Heat.

The Pelicans acquired McCollum in a blockbuster trade with the Portland Trail Blazers Tuesday, sending Josh Hart and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to Portland. McCollum started 36 games, averaging 35 minutes, 21 points, four rebounds, and five assists per game and was second on the team in usage, posting a 26.3% usage rate, only behind superstar Damian Lillard. Spending his nine-year career with the Trail Blazers, McCollum started 467 games, averaging 32 minutes, 21 points, four rebounds, and four assists per game.

He last played in a 137-108 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 5, playing 26 minutes, scoring 17 points, two rebounds, and six assists.

McCollum is priced at $7,500 on FanDuel for Thursday night’s matchup against the Miami Heat, who currently lead the Eastern Conference with a 35-20 record.

The Pelicans are currently hanging on to the last slot in the West’s Play-in tournament, a pair of games ahead of McCollum’s former squad. New O is rolling with a 22-32 record but is not in the conversation for a league title sitting at +24000 to win the NBA Championship on FanDuel Sportsbook.