CJ McCollum enters the season with a new team and a chip on his shoulder to prove that he's still a premiere talent that can impact winning.
Obviously, with the Washington Wizards, winning isn't exactly a realistic goal, at least not to the extent of being in the mix for the NBA Playoffs down the stretch of the season.
McCollum's playing at a high-level still and at 34, the Lehigh product has shown there's plenty left in the tank.
In what will be a primary veteran leadership role with the Wizards, McCollum may not be asked to put as many minutes on his body as he would have on a playoff hopeful squad like the New Orleans Pelicans.
Part of that is due to the Wizards making it a priority for young talent to see plenty of playing time.
However, the other major factor that will limit McCollum's time on the court is Washington's hope that keeping the guard healthy and allowing him to prove his value will position them to finally capitalize on the strategy they've been chasing over the last two years.
Washington is looking to bolster their rebuild by flipping veterans to contending teams in efforts to bring in additional draft capital and young players, similar to what they did with the AJ Johnson in the Kyle Kyuzma deal last season.
Following the deal to acquire McCollum, there was no realistic trade suitor for the guard that Washington could immediately focus in on when they hoped to offload him ahead of the NBA trade deadline in February.
Nonetheless, with the devastating injury news dealt to the Houston Rockets after losing guard Fred VanVleet for the season, Washington may be the perfect partner for Houston to target.
McCollum could immediately come in and serve as a reliable presence in the backcourt for the Rockets, who will almost certainly be looking to add to the roster following the loss.
With his scoring upside and ability to be a playmaker when needed, McCollum would fit perfectly on the Rockets roster.
Giving the guard the chance to contend, while also moving on from his expiring contract to land young talent and/or draft capital from the Rockets could be a win-win situation for both sides.
Considering the exchange between the Wizards and Rockets earlier this offseason for Cam Whitmore, it's clear there's already an open line of communication that could allow this deal to be more than realistic.