If the 2024–25 New Orleans Pelicans were a movie, it would be a tragic comedy, where the Pelicans crash-landed into a 21–61 disaster of a season that had fans asking if someone had cursed the Smoothie King Center. Injuries, trades, and front office chaos swirled like a New Orleans hurricane, and by the end, even the most loyal fans were questioning if basketball voodoo was a thing. And in such a setup, no one would wish to play, no matter what you pay. And here came the rumor battle. But roll back: Without injuries, Zion Williamson has always delivered his best performances. That said, earlier in February, he recorded 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, hitting his first career triple-double in a 124-116 win over the Suns. With that, the team also held its longest winning streak of the season with three wins. But one man can’t take you far. So, is he done here?
Currently, the Pelicans and Williamson are surrounded by trade rumors, despite a denial from the Pelicans’ Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations. But the noise is louder than ever this season, with the Pelicans wrapping the season with 8 losses in the last 10 games played, including a streak of 7Ls. However, the 4x NBA All-Star has a solution for both the Pelicans and another team, the Pistons. The Pistons just broke their 15-game playoff losing streak with a win over the Knicks. During an episode of FanDuel TV’s Run It Back program, DeMarcus Cousins suggested a new destination for the New Orleans Pelicans’ star, Williamson.
And it’s to the Pelicans. “If they had Zion Williamson, they’re a different team. They’re a totally different team. Even better than what they are right now. You replace Zion Williamson with Tobias Harris. That’s a totally different team,” Cousins said. He might not be wrong about his take. Even Lou Williams agreed with him. However, Williams also questioned whether the Pistons should bring in superstars or focus on creating superstars like the OKC Thunder.
There’s more to this drama. Joe Dumars was recently hired as the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the team. As per reports by Pelicans Insider Shamit Dua, it was suggested that Dumars was hired with a mandate which is to trade Williamson. However, the 61-year-old has denied all such reports.
Nov 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) looks on against the Indiana Pacers during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
“I read that last week. If I did, nobody told me,” Dumars told The Athletic’s Will Guillory. This is simple. Williamson has no clause to prevent his trade, so the chances of a trade might not be ruled out entirely. Moreover, the 4x NBA All-Star isn’t the only one with the suggestion.
NBA trade idea suggests Zion Williamson’s trade
NBA analysts have presented the same idea over the past few months as rumors surrounding his trade continue to make the rounds. The latest suggestion by Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report echoes the same for the NBA player. Swartz recently proposed that the $3.4 billion team (as per Forbes) Detroit Pistons could trade Jaden Ivey, Tobias Harris, to the Pelicans for Williamson this offseason.
“Cunningham needs a No. 2 option, someone he can feed the ball to on a regular basis and help cut down the amount of times he’s double-teamed. Williamson has perhaps the highest potential of any trade target that may become available and at age 24 can still grow with a young core of Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren and Ron Holland,” Swartz wrote.
This would pair Williamson with Cade Cunningham, who is averaging 26.1 points per game. Williamson has averaged 24.6 points, shooting 56.7% from the field and 65.6% from the free-throw line. However, he appeared only for 30 games. Williamson is elite when he is at his best. However, regardless of which team the 24-year-old is on, the issue continues to be his health.
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