Pelicans open to parting with Zion Williamson?
Dec 17, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Five-and-a-half years after they made him the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans may finally be ready to cut their losses with Zion Williamson.
Veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported on his Substack page on Sunday that the Pelicans are open to trade inquiries for anyone on the roster except for three players. Those three players are forwards Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III as well as center Yves Missi.
Most notably, that list does not include Williamson, their two-time All-Star forward. Williamson is currently sidelined with yet another injury (this one to his hamstring) and still doesn’t seem to be close to a return with the Feb. 6 trade deadline looming.
Still only 24 years old, Williamson is a wrecking ball whenever he is on the floor, averaging 24.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game for his NBA career. But unfortunately, Williamson spends most of his time in street clothes, regularly struggling with injuries, weight and conditioning issues, or some combination of both ever since he entered the NBA.
The former Duke star Williamson was averaging a 23/8/5 line before going down this season, and though he still has $126 million left on his contract over the next three seasons, that contract also comes with some notable team protections thanks to his history. After Williamson rebuilt his trade value a bit with a 70-game season in 2023-24, the abysmal 5-22 Pelicans have to be considering every possible course of action with him right now.
