When CJ McCollum landed with the Washington Wizards, it was a sense of a fresh start for all parties involved.
Jordan Poole received the change of scenery that he undoubtedly desired all along, the Pelicans got a younger option in the backcourt and Saddiq Bey's tenure in Washington ended he ever got the opportunity to wear a Wizards jersey,
Meanwhile, McCollum got the opportunity to suit up for another franchise after countless underwhelming and disappointing season in New Orleans suggested a split was inevitable.
As for the Wizards, they finally got the opportunity to bring in a veteran presence who could take on the mentorship role that Malcolm Brogdon failed to during his lone season in the DMV.
It was clear that the move for McCollum was more about the Wizards ability to offload Poole's contract off the books for future years and less about the impact that the veteran guard would make in terms of winning.
To start the preseason, it looked like the Wizards could get the best of both worlds.
McCollum looked rejuvenated and his early success looked like he could be more than just a mentor for the Wizards during his time in Washington.
However, those hopes were quickly shut down when the regular season began.
Not only has the guard looked underwhelming to start the season, but he's proving exactly why the Pelicans fanbase was thrilled when the team moved on from the Lehigh product.
CJ McCollum is not worth the contract he's on
McCollum is currently on an expiring deal as he's set to become a free agent this offseason.
Until then, Washington will be forced to pay the playmaker $30.6 million this season, which alone makes it an extremely difficult contract for Washington to move on from.
Considering his age and deal, the Wizards are likely stuck with McCollum in D.C. unless the two sides agree to a contract buyout that will end his time in the DMV early.
There's no denying that the leadership he's providing is proving beneficial, especially when taking in the fact that McCollum is widely known as one of the most preofessional players the league has to offer.
Despite that, his lucrative contract extension he signed with the Pelicans during his time in NOLA, mixed with his decline in play makes the deal look that much worse for any team, let alone a Wizards team who's not even remotely close to competing for a playoff spot anytime soon.