Part of the offseason fun is wild trade speculation. Early on in the process, there was some talk that the New Orleans Pelicans would send Zion Williamson to the Charlotte Hornets for a couple of first-round picks and Miles Bridges. That obviously didn't happen, which was for the best for the Hornets.
Since drafting Williamson first overall in 2019, the Pelicans have been on a downward trajectory. He was supposed to be the cornerstone of a major rebuild. Instead, chronic injuries and conditioning issues have hamstringed him. He has played 276 games while missing 280.
When the man is healthy, the dominant version of Williamson showed off in college shines through. He only played one season for Duke and left with 11 awards. That included the ACC Athlete of the Year, the ACC Player of the Year, and the ACC Rookie of the Year.
Trading Williamson should have happened by now
In case you're wondering, the only three players to pull winning those three awards off in one season are Williamson, Cooper Flagg, and Cameron Boozer. Unfortunately, Williamson has not been able to replicate that success in the NBA and the Pelicans are refusing to make a trade involving him.
Early in the postseason, there were rumors that New Orleans might finally be ready to move on from him. The deal would have been with the Hornets for Bridges. Instead, Charlotte made a deal with the Suns that sent Bridges to Phoenix.
Williamson still remains a member of the Pelicans' roster, despite a seemingly ideal potential trade consisting of Grant Williams, Royce O'Neale, and Grayson Allen and a first.
Vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars has, on more than one occasion, made it clear that New Orleans has no interest in trading Williamson. As such, the Bridges trade was outside speculation at absolute best. There's nothing wrong with that, as proposing trades is fun.
This wouldn't have been good for the Hornets
Still, it's hard not to wonder why the Pelicans aren't more open to trading Williamson. He has missed roughly 50% of the games in his NBA career and has two years left on a contract that will cost them nearly $90 million over that time. This franchise has been in quicksand since drafting him.
To be fair, Williamson is a tough trade for those same reasons. The Hornets weren't going to mortgage their future on a guy who is perpetually injured. He would have derailed what Charlotte is currently building. Their trade with the Suns made a lot more sense than the rumored Pelicans option.
A change in scenery could help Williamson, but that would have been a huge gamble for the Hornets. As for the Pelicans, they may not be interested in trading Williamson but it would be a shock to see them extend his current contract. His time in New Orleans and the NBA may just run out.
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