DHJ Quick Take
- Trade Realism: Despite his desire to stay in New Orleans, Zion Williamson acknowledged that the NBA is a “business” and admitted he could realistically be traded this offseason or before next year’s deadline.
- Health and Performance: Williamson has missed the playoffs every year since being drafted first overall in 2019 due to recurring injuries, though he has improved his recovery methods.
- Contractual Crossroads: Williamson is extension-eligible this summer and is owed $42.2 million next season; if the Pelicans decide not to extend him, it may signal a looming blockbuster trade to reshuffle their talented but struggling core.
Zion Williamson is aware that he could be traded by the New Orleans Pelicans this offseason or next season.
During an interview with Yaron Weitzman of Yahoo Sports, Williamson spoke about his future with the Pelicans.
“New Orleans is home for me. It’s where I want to be,” Williamson said. “But at the end of the day, if we’re going to be realistic about it, the NBA is a business. I could be traded in the offseason, or I could be traded before [next season’s] trade deadline. Not that I want that to happen. But that’s just the realism of it.”
The Pelicans selected Williamson with the first pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Duke. Williamson has never appeared in a playoff game due to several injuries.
A two-time All-Star, Williamson holds career averages of 23.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. The lefty is extension-eligible this offseason.
For the Pelicans this season, Williamson is putting up 21.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. New Orleans will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year despite playing better after the All-Star break.
“Right now it’s about, just, self-identity,” Williamson said. “We know what we want to do and how we want to grow going into the offseason and leading into next season. I feel like we’re taking a step in the right direction because at the moment we can only control what we can control.”
The Pelicans have a talented core of Williamson, Derik Queen, Trey Murphy III, Dejounte Murray, Saddiq Bey and Herbert Jones. When everyone is healthy, New Orleans looks dangerous on paper.
With that said, it will be fascinating to see if the Pelicans trade or keep Williamson this offseason. The talented forward doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract.
“I feel like I’ve shown enough this year to be able to say, like, ‘This is what it’s gonna look like.’ Even when I did have an injury, I was projected to miss four to six weeks, and instead I was back in two and then went on a long stretch of consecutive games,” Williamson said. “Before, I’d get treatment and do basic stuff like table time. But now it’s things like hyperbaric chambers and red light chambers.”
Williamson’s contract guarantees him $42.2 million next season. If he hits certain incentive markers, Williamson will make $44.9 million in the 2027-28 season, the final year of his contract.
It’s safe to say that people around the NBA will be paying attention to see if the Pelicans give Williamson an extension this summer, because if an extension doesn’t happen, a blockbuster Zion trade could go down.
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