New Orleans Pelicans fans are no doubt excited to see star Zion Williamson back on the court after an extended injury absence. He missed the last two months with a hamstring injury, leading to questions about his future with the team and whether the Pelicans should look to trade him.
Zion's return to the starting lineup coincides with trade season starting to heat up. His return is about one month prior to the trade deadline, giving him a chance to prove that he can be healthy for the rest of the season and for the Pelicans to show him off in the event of a potential trade.
Although there was no guarantee that the Pelicans would trade him, his return should allow him to play as many as 10 games ahead of the deadline, giving teams a chance to see how he looks. Interestingly enough, bringing him back could hurt the Pelicans' chances of winning the NBA draft lottery.
They currently have the second-worst record in the NBA and would need to finish in the bottom three in the standings to ensure that they have a share of the top odds in the NBA draft lottery. Doing so would give them a shot at drafting Cooper Flagg first overall and give them a new potential franchise building block.
NBA Rumors: New Orleans Pelicans may be showcasing Zion Williamson for a trade.
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Zion isn't on the trade block, but the Pelicans are open to offers. Those offers wouldn't have materialized had he still been rehabbing his injury, but now he will be able to have a few games under his belt.
If he can pick up where he left off, then that would give New Orleans options. If he can remain relatively healthy in the lead-up to the trade deadline and no good trade offers come in, then they can hold onto him through the rest of the season. That would likely provide them with a compelling reason to retain him, especially if they can secure a top-3 pick to try and pair him with.
On the other hand, if Zion plays well and they get a strong offer, then the Pelicans should strongly consider trading him if there are still questions about his health long-term.
Either way, Zion's return will be key for the Pelicans going forward. If he can stay healthy, he can regain the confidence of the fans and the team while the Pelicans can either build around him through the draft or look to trade him if the right deal ever came along.