Blazers formally sign CJ McCollum to contract extension

Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum dribbles the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015. The Trail Blazers won the game 110-103. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)

  

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) — The Portland Trail Blazers formally signed guard CJ McCollum to a four-year contract extension Wednesday.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed by the team, but a person familiar with it told The Associated Press on Monday that it is worth $106 million.

The extension, which takes effect after the upcoming season, will keep McCollum in Portland through the 2020-21 season.

McCollum was voted the NBA's 2016 Most Improved Player after averaging 20.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists during the regular season. He raised his scoring average by more than 14 points over the previous season.

"I'm ecstatic to be able to extend my career in Portland and grateful for the trust and the opportunity the organization has provided for me," he said in a statement. "Since I arrived in Oregon I've considered it home and look forward to building something special, not only on the court, but in the community as well."

The 24-year-old guard became a starter in the Blazers' backcourt with Damian Lillard last season after four of the team's starters left in the offseason.

McCollum was the 10th overall selection in the 2013 NBA draft. He's averaged 12.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists over his three seasons in Portland.

But last year he was given a chance to shine on one of the youngest rosters in the league. The Blazers were considered a team that was rebuilding but they overachieved, earning the fifth seed in the Western Conference and advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

McCollum averaged 20.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the postseason.

His 14-point improvement last season was the most since Tony Campbell improved from an average of 6.2 points to 23.2 points with Minnesota from the 1988-89 season to the 1989-90 season.

Source:http://sports.abs-cbn.com/nba/news/2016/07/28/blazers-formally-sign-cj-mccollum-contract-extension-13713