It's safe to say that the 2024-25 season hasn't gone according to plan for the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans currently have the third-worst record in the NBA this season thanks to an avalanche of injuries, specifically to injured star Zion Williamson. Williamson has missed more than 55% of his career games and has only played six games this season.
While he appears to be ramping up for a return, there's no telling whether he will be able to stay healthy over the course of the remainder of the regular season. That should force the Pelicans to think long and hard about finally moving on from their star player. Particularly with Brandon Ingram also having an unclear future with the team.
Ingram can become an unrestricted free agent after this season, and while all the Pelicans have apparently been shopping him, there doesn't appear to be much interest from teams. After all, he could demand at least $35 million a year, and teams probably aren't interested in acquiring a player, that they may have to pay at least $120 million dollars.
While he is a talented player, he has struggled to stay healthy, averaging only 55 games over the course of his 7-year career. With Zion and Ingram both having unclear features and the Pelicans likely to have a top-five pick in this year's draft, they should think long and hard about trading Zion and going all in on a rebuild.
If and when they decide to move on from Zion, they may find a lackluster trade market for him. His injury concerns could depress a potential bidding war for the former number-one overall pick. That being said, there are several teams that could potentially kick the tires on making a trade for Zion in the hope that he can resurrect his career and begin to live up to his promise in a new city.
That may be wishful thinking, with few players having had so many missed games over the course of their first six seasons and going on to have a strong career in the NBA. Joel Embiid, who missed two and a half seasons to start his career, is the closest potential comp for Zion, and even still that might not be enough to draw interest from other teams who have to give real assets to match his salary and to entice the Pelicans to move on from him.
There are three potential teams that could register interest in Zion, each having enough assets and big contracts to make a deal with the Pelicans seem at least realistic. It will ultimately depend on what the Pelicans are looking for. If they are looking for a player of equal talent, then they may be out of luck.
But if they are willing to take back contracts and draft picks for Zion, then they might be able to find a deal that works for them and allows them to move on from him once and for all. Next up we will take a look at three possible Zion trades and see which one makes the most sense for them.
NBA Trades: The Hornets go all in for Zion Williamson in a mock deal.
A spicy potential landing spot for Zion is his home state of North Carolina with the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets have shown flashes of greatness this season with LaMelo Ball putting up monster numbers and Brandon Miller looking like he might one day be a star in his own right. That being said, they have gotten off to a bad start and appear unlikely to make the playoffs yet again.
With the Hornets appearing to be heading to the draft lottery for a 5th straight season, they may instead look to add talent in hopes of turning their fortunes around. Gambling on Zion would be risky, to say the least, but it could also work out in a big way. New Orleans may not have been the best fit for Zion, given the temptations that come with the Big Easy, including the food and alcohol that are readily available there.
His being back in his home state may hopefully lead to better habits and him taking his conditioning more seriously. His keeping his weight down would likely translate into fewer nagging injuries.
Pairing Zion with Miller and Ball would be an explosive trio that, when all three are healthy, could make noise in the Eastern Conference. Building around Zion can be difficult given that he is a 6'6 power forward with zero spacing, though he'd be playing next to Ball, who is a 6'7 point guard, and a terrific shooter in Miller, who projects to be a good shooter in his own right while also being 6'9.
The Hornets have mostly been a nonfactor as a franchise for years, even dating back to their ill-fated Charlotte Bobcats days, with them being mostly terrible during that 10-year span. After regaining their Hornets nickname, they haven't been all that much better. Making an all-in deal for Zion would at least give them a high-end outcome if he were able to stay healthy.
It might not make them a playoff contender, but it would at least make them a potential playoff team that has a chance to be more. Zion is still only 24. Ball is just 22 while Miller is 21. Those three, paired together, would make for an explosive trio that has a chance to get even better playing alongside one another. The cost of taking a chance on Zion would mean them giving up two first-round picks, 2024 lottery pick Tidjane Saluun, Cody Martin, and Grant Williams.
All things considered, that would be a reasonable gamble, and if Zion were to become available, then they should strongly consider making a move to acquire him. After all, it could be years before they actually manage to build a contender around Ball, and their track record suggests that may never happen. At least with Zion, they have a chance at a superstar to pair with other talented players in Ball and Miller. They should absolutely consider trading for Zion.
NBA Trades: The Pistons jumpstart their rebuild by landing Zion in a potential trade.
With the Pelicans open for business as far as potentially trading Zion, the Detroit Pistons should kick the tires on potentially acquiring him. While few teams can afford to give up significant assets to acquire him, the Pistons can, particularly given how bad they've been over the last few seasons. They had the worst record in the NBA each of the previous two years but failed to come away with the number one overall pick each time.
To their credit, they are much better this season and may even flirt with the play-in tournament. However, taking a chance on Zion could prove to be a worthwhile gamble for a team that only has one player who projects to be a star at the moment: Cade Cunningham.
Zion's trade value is hard to pinpoint, with him likely not garnering a big return for the Pelicans, though they would likely need at least several assets to actually part with him. As a result, the Pistons could offer up Jaden Ivey, Ron Holland II, and Tobias Harris for Zion.
Giving up two recent lottery picks in Holland II and Ivey for Zion is admittedly a big risk for both the Pistons and the Pelicans. For the Pistons, they could get a major upgrade in Zion to pair with Cade and fast-track their rebuild.
On the other hand, if he fails to stay healthy, then it could set the Pistons's rebuild back several years. They absolutely can't afford to have that happen given how bad they have been in recent seasons. Of course, if Zion is able to stay healthy, then they would have gotten a bona fide superstar.
Given that Detroit isn't exactly a destination for superstars, it could be worth the risk, but, realistically, the best-case scenario would be a 50/50 chance that he lives up to his full potential with the Pistons. If there is a 50/50 chance that he lives up to his full potential with the Pistons, then there is also a 50/50 chance that he lives up to his full potential with the Pelicans too.
That could mean that while the Pelicans are technically open to trading their best player this season, they would likely need to receive a strong offer for them to actually consider moving on from him. By trading him, and presumably also moving on from Ingram, that could mean a rebuild. As a result, they may be interested in a trade package centered around Ivey and Holand II.
With other teams likely skeptical about the health of Zion, it probably wouldn't take much more for the Pistons to have the best potential trade package for Zion. Of course, it would be up to the Pelicans if they wanted to finally move on from the former number one overall pick. However, if they decide that this season is the time to do so, then the Pistons could be a dark horse landing spot for him.
NBA Trades: The Spurs take a chance on Zion Williamson in potential deal.
In one of the more intriguing potential trades for Zion, the San Antonio Spurs would look to consolidate their assets into a star to pair with Victor Wembanyama. Zion would be an interesting choice but a nice potential fit next to Wembanyama. Zion's biggest problem, injuries and conditioning aside, is that he is hard to build around, given that he is a 6'6 power forward.
Having a big man who can not only defend and cover for his defensive limitations while also spacing the floor is necessary, and Wembanyama checks off both of those categories. He is on pace to lead the NBA in blocks per game for a second straight season and is also on pace to shatter the Spurs' single-season record for made threes. The Spurs also have a couple of big contracts that would be ideal in a potential trade with the Pelicans for Zion.
The Spurs' potential trade package might include Zach Collins, Keldon Johnson, the Chicago Bulls' top-10 protected 2025 first-round pick (also top-8 protected in 2026 and 2027), and another future first. That is a modest offer, but the Pelicans would at least get two rotation players and two first-rounders, which isn't nothing considering that they have gotten virtually nothing out of their best player this season.
Considering that he missed more than half of his career games, getting that return for a player who is seen by some as a bust despite his strong play when healthy is actually not terrible. Worse yet for the Pelicans' is the possibility that his trade value further decreases if he returns this season but doesn't play well or does but gets injured yet again.
Then again, the Pelicans may not want to make such a drastic move in-season, and neither could other interested teams. If a deal doesn't materialize this season, then it is possible that Zion could be moved in the offseason, possibly even around the draft. In that case, the Spurs, who could have as many as four first-round picks, would be the team to monitor if they are actually interested in Zion.
The Spurs have a history of revitalizing careers, and he may thrive playing in a city different from New Orleans, which may not have been the best landing spot for him. San Antonio could be an ideal fit since he wouldn't need to be a superstar, just a consistent second option, which he seems more than capable of being. Obviously, health and conditioning are a big part of him playing well no matter where he ends up.
That being said, the Pelicans have often struggled with injuries, even dating back to the Anthony Davis days. While some of that comes down to players, it has plagued their franchise over the last decade.
As a result, the Pelicans may need to start fresh, and that may begin with them moving on from Zion. With the Pelicans already having one of the worst records in the NBA, they could have a high pick and may potentially add two more if they agree to a trade with San Antonio.