There's no denying that the Washington Wizards hope for what CJ McCollum could contribute to the team's young core has come up short.
Instead of the Wizards taking a step forward this season, Washington once again finds themselves at the bottom of the NBA standings and part of that comes at the expense of inconsistent play from veterans of the roster.
Despite that, if the Wizards were to find themselves in position to move on from any veteran on the roster ahead of the NBA trade deadline in February, it's safe to assume that CJ McCollum would be the most likely candidate over the likes of Khris Middleton, who has struggled to stay on the court since arriving in the DMV.
That said, here's a look at 3 teams who could relieve the Wizards of their McCollum-sized issue in their backcourt.
Wizards could find a desperate CJ McCollum suitor
McCollum's contract could prove difficult for the Wizards to move ahead of the deadline, but considering the expiring deal, Washington could find themselves striking a deal with a desperate team willing to send out salary in order to make an immediate upgrade.
Looking ahead, these 3 teams could be willing to put an end to the Wizards CJ McCollum experiment.
1) Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are a team that many expect to be active ahead of the trade deadline.
With players like Jonathan Kuminga expected to be moved, Washington could find themselves in trade negotiations with the Warriors, especially if the team's interest in Kuminga returns.
Golden State could use an additional offensive weapon, who can not only contribute alongside Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, but can prove to be a reliable ball handler to run the offense.
Perhaps McCollum could be involved in a potential framework built to acquire Kuminga.
2) Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves have been rumored to be a team in the market to add offensive firepower to help Anthony Edwards out in the Western Conference.
Obviously, the T-Wolves would probably like to get younger in the backcourt alongside Edwards, which would explain the interest in acquiring Coby White from Chicago.
However, if Minnesota is unable to land the young guard, they could look to go the veteran route once again similar to when the team elected to trade for Mike Conley
Averaging 18.8 points, 3.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds, while shooting 44.5% from field goal range, it's clear that the Lehigh product could be a boost in the right situation, especially if motivated by winning.