CJ McCollum's maturity, consistency have helped vault Pelicans from upstart to genuine contender
The New Orleans Pelicans are one of the NBA's surprise success stories this season -- well, they're only a surprise if you haven't really been paying attention. Slowly but surely, the Pelicans have laid the groundwork since the 2019 trade that sent franchise superstar Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and four first-round picks. Win totals in the 30s and three coaches in four seasons didn't necessarily bode well for the franchise's future, despite Ingram blossoming and the immediate impact of No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson. But things took a U-turn toward relevance last February, when the Pelicans acquired longtime Portland Trail Blazer CJ McCollum, along with Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell in exchange for four players, a protected first-round pick (which didn't convey) and two future second-rounders. McCollum's impact was ...