CJ McCollum wouldn't hide it after his not-that-long awaited debut with the New Orleans Pelicans: He was tired.
The longtime star Blazers guard didn't waste time getting his new jersey to show off at the Smoothie King Center, a landmark moment that the Miami Heat were more than happy to take the shine from in a 112-97 Pelicans loss at the Smoothie King Center.
The normally sweet-shooting guard went 6-for-21 from the field with 15 points, 5 assists and 7 rebounds in his New Orleans debut after spending the first 10 years of his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers.
“It’s been fun. It’s been a fun ride. Thankful to be here, happy to be able to play," McCollum said. "A little tired, but I’m going to get a good night’s sleep tonight. A little flat, but I like the energy that we played with. I thought we competed and, gotta shoot the ball a little bit better.”
While the 30-year-old conceded the team didn't play as well it needs to, getting in his first practice with his team could help. The whirlwind week for McCollum meant he didn't get to bed until 2:30 a.m. the night before his first start, and he knows there won't be time to go look for a long-term home, or to bring his wife, son and dog out to New Orleans until March at the earliest.
"Not enough time to right now, playing games, I’ve got to do media, get more acclimated with the team, go over some plays, have a practice, do some of those things," he said.
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But despite logistics and team chemistry left to figure out, the newest piece of a Pelicans team that has battled into the playoff picture despite a brutal 3-16 start to the season knows this is a group that can do "some damage" down the road when things begin to coalesce. The Pelicans don't have much room to breathe, just half-game ahead of McCollum's former Blazers squad for the final play-in seed, but that chase could be bolstered by a return of Zion Williamson at some point, with Pelicans Executive Vice President David Griffin sharing that he's made "encouraging" process in his rehab, while still declining to provide an official return timetable quite yet. Still, he relayed that the star forward reacted "incredibly positively" to the trade news as he works back from a foot injury that's kept him off the court all season.
"It wasn't in our favor tonight, but I think all-in-all we’re gonna be in a great position to do some real damage and I’m looking forward to it," McCollum said. "I like the pieces that we have.”