CJ McCollum agreed to a three-year, $100 million extension with the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, expanding his original contract to a five-year, $157 million deal. Now, with his extension in the books, the former No. 10 overall pick is ready to build on what he is calling “a special time” in Portland.
McCollum has been an important piece of Portland's success in recent years. By most accounts, his pairing with Damian Lillard in the Blazers' backcourt is one of the best in the NBA, and fans of the team have grown to love his work ethic.
In a recent interview with Jason Quick of The Athletic, McCollum noted he is ready to continue building on the foundation he and Lillard have laid in Portland. Together, the two teammates have accomplished great things, but he says their ultimate goal is still winning a championship:




“It’s a special time,” McCollum told The Athletic, hours after his extension leaked. “(He and Lillard) talked about being in Portland, making a staple here and winning a championship here, and all those things. We’ve crossed off a lot of goals individually and collectively, but I think that both of us being here for the long haul, and both of us being able to grow together and win together is something that people will remember for a long time.”
McCollum is coming off a great season with the Blazers, who finished the 2018-19 campaign with a 53-29 overall record. The 27-year-old Canton, Ohio native made 70 appearances (all starts), racking up averages of 21.0 points on 45.9 percent shooting from the field (37.5 percent from beyond the arc), 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and just under one steal (0.8) in 33.9 minutes per outing.
Portland made it all the way to the 2019 Western Conference Finals, where they were ultimately swept by the Golden State Warriors. Next season, however, with a new extension under his belt, McCollum will look to lead his team back into the playoff hunt.