The New Orleans Pelicans came into the season with playoff aspirations after acquiring Dejounte Murray in the offseason and the return of a healthy Zion Williamson. Unfortunately, this season in the Big Easy has been anything but.
The Pelicans are 21-60, one of four 60-loss teams in the NBA this year and Murray, Williamson, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy have all missed significant time due to injury. With the lost season coming to an end, an offseason full of questions is on the way for New Orleans. The biggest one: will New Orleans move on from Williamson?
Williamson has played more than 60 games twice in his six-year career. He’s played less than 25 games four times. He is on a movable max deal, and with rumblings about Williamson and the Pelicans meeting about his future in the coming weeks, he could find himself on the move. Here are three teams that should take a chance on the forward if he were to become available.
3) Memphis Grizzlies
Just two short months ago, Memphis was tracking to earn home court advantage in the West playoffs, despite Ja Morant missing a lot of games due to injury and being inconsistent on the court. Fast forward to April and not only have the Grizzlies fired their coach, but also have to make it through the play-in just to make it to the playoffs.
There is no doubt that it will be a busy offseason in Memphis and they will look to shake things up. Bringing in Williamson would not be a bad idea. His blend of athleticism and physicality will allow them to dominate the paint offensively again.
He and Morant’s ability to put constant pressure on the rim will be a lot for defenses to handle. A big three of Morant, Williamson, and Jaren Jackson Jr. will give the Grizzlies one of the better cores in the West and all three players will be 26 or younger.
Given Williamson’s injury history, it should not cost Memphis too much to acquire him. They need to make a change and take a calculated risk. The upside of Williamson could elevate their ceiling in a stacked West.
2) Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota is playing their best basketball of the season and is on track to earn the sixth seed in the West. Anthony Edwards has been phenomenal all season, completely reinventing his game as a shooter and supporting pieces Julius Randle, Donte DiVencenzo, and Naz Reid starring in their roles.
Edwards sorely needs a co-star though and Williamson fits that bill. His ability to dominate the paint and slash towards the rim is what the Wolves need offensively. Williamson is also growing as a playmaker and head coach Chris Finch has shown that he can be creative offensively, given how he is deploying Randle currently.
Minnesota does not have a lot of assets to trade, and this is contingent on the asking price for Williamson not being too high. They have also shown that they are looking for a co-star for Edwards after trading away Karl-Anthony Towns and their interest in Kevin Durant at the trade deadline. Williamson would fill that hole in a big way, even though he is a big gamble.
1) Detroit Pistons
The Pistons have been one of the NBA’s best stories this season, going from an NBA-worst 14-68 last season to clinching a top six seed this year and a date with the New York Knicks in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Cade Cunningham has been playing at an All-NBA level all year; his supporting cast of Malik Beasley, Tobias Harris, and Isaiah Stewart have starred in their roles, and coach J.B. Bickerstaff has instilled a culture of toughness that can be seen up and down the roster.
How would Williamson fit? Well, he would give Cunningham a legit co-star and the ability to score 25 PPG. A lot is on Cunningham’s plate offensively from a scoring and playmaking perspective, and he faces constant defensive pressure night in and night out. Williamson would help alleviate that with his ability to score at the rim and would be a fun lob partner for Cunningham.
Thanks to their rebuild, Detroit has a lot of assets to trade and would have a decent amount left over since Williamson likely won’t command a huge haul. Think of the Spurs and their move to acquire De’Aaron Fox at the trade deadline: they gave up a solid package but still held onto their most valuable assets. That is the model the Pistons front office should follow, and if the price is right, Williamson should be on their radar. They are in a position to take a risk like this.