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McCollum committed to Pelicans long term: 'I want to retire here'

Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Less than three months into his tenure with the New Orleans Pelicans, CJ McCollum made it known he wants to play the rest of his career in the Big Easy.

"I'm not going nowhere. I'm here," McCollum told Andscape's Marc Spears. "Where am I going to go? Leave for what? I want to retire here. ... This is something fun for both sides. We're going to grow."

McCollum has improved his production in New Orleans following a nearly nine-season run with the Portland Trail Blazers. After averaging 20.5 points on 43.6% shooting in 36 games with Portland, the Lehigh product scored a more efficient 24.3 points per game on 49.3% shooting in 26 appearances with New Orleans following the trade. He also dished a career-high 5.8 assists per game over that stretch as the Pelicans' primary playmaker.

"I felt like I was what they were missing, and they were what I was missing," McCollum said of his fit with the Pelicans.

The 30-year-old has carried over his strong play into the postseason, where the Pelicans currently trail the Phoenix Suns 3-2 in their best-of-seven first-round series. New Orleans previously won a pair of play-in tournament games to clinch the West's No. 8 seed and set up the matchup against Phoenix.

McCollum is owed nearly $70 million over the next two seasons before he becomes eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2024.

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