The New Orleans Pelicans have recalled shooting guard CJ McCollum from the Birmingham Squadron of the G League, signaling he may be closing in on a return.
McCollum has been a full participant at Pelicans practice during the past five days and likely was assigned to the Squadron for further rehab and practice time.
He has been out since early November with what the team called a small pneumothorax in his right lung — commonly known as a collapsed lung. This actually marks the second time he has dealt with a lung injury, the first being back in 2021, when he missed 18 games as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers.
He has currently missed 11 games.
Prior to the injury, McCollum had been his usual productive self, averaging 21.7 points, 5.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds in six games. The Pelicans (9-8) have managed to stay afloat in his absence and currently sit in third place in the Southwest Division.
“I feel good. I’m in a really good spot,” McCollum told reporters on Tuesday. “I continue to increase my conditioning and add contact (in practice). … I’m looking forward to getting back out there. Not quite yet, I’m waiting on clearance from the doctor, but I should be getting cleared here pretty soon.”
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