Are we nearing the end of the Zion Williamson era in New Orleans?
The league is "certainly wondering" if the New Orleans Pelicans are ultimately going to deal the 2019 No. 1 pick in an attempt to move up in Thursday's NBA draft (8 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC), according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
Williamson has been a force for New Orleans, averaging 25.8 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 60.5% from the floor over his four seasons. The issue has been actually keeping him on the floor. Injuries have limited Williamson to just 114 out of a possible 308 regular-season games in his young career.
The Pelicans were third in the West before Williamson hurt his right hamstring Jan. 2. By the end of the season, they were battling to make it to the play-in tournament, before losing to the No. 10 seed Oklahoma City Thunder in the first play-in game.
What could the Pelicans realistically get for the 23-year-old Williamson, who, despite his injury history, is already a two-time All-Star?
We've asked our experts to propose their favorite Williamson trades, from a pairing with LaMelo Ball to another with Damian Lillard.
-- Andrew Lopez
A new, dynamic duo in Charlotte
Charlotte Hornets get: Williamson, Bucks' 2025 first-round pick (if 1-4)
New Orleans Pelicans get: Gordon Hayward, No. 2 pick
The Hornets should ask for more than Williamson to move the No. 2 overall pick, which the Pelicans would presumably use to select Scoot Henderson. Williamson has proven he can perform at a superstar level when he's on the court, but that isn't very often. The Bucks' 2025 pick is probably the least valuable among the 10 first-rounders that New Orleans possesses over the next seven drafts.
Hayward, 33, who has his own major durability issues, would primarily serve as an expiring contract to make the money math work in this deal. However, he's still a productive player who averaged 14.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 50 games last season and could help the Pelicans make a push to return to the playoffs.
-- Tim MacMahon
Dame gets a new running mate
Portland Trail Blazers get: Williamson
New Orleans Pelicans get: No. 3 pick, Patty Mills, Royce O'Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith
Brooklyn Nets get: Anfernee Simons and Keon Johnson
The Blazers face a dilemma with the No. 3 pick: trade it for veteran help on star guard Lillard's timetable, or pick somebody who can lead the franchise in the post-Dame era? Dealing for Williamson could allow them to split the difference. If healthy -- key if -- Williamson is the All-Star teammate Lillard hasn't had since LaMarcus Aldridge left in free agency eight years ago.
Meanwhile, at 22, Zion wouldn't be much older than 2022 lottery pick Shaedon Sharpe. The cost for the Blazers, besides the No. 3 pick, is starting guard Simons. Sharpe's emergence late in the season makes the smaller Simons more expendable, though Portland would need to add ballhandling depth with the No. 23 pick or through free agency.
Simons doesn't make much sense for the Pelicans, who already have their own former Lillard backcourt-mate in CJ McCollum, so this construction flips him to Brooklyn as a lead playmaker in exchange for 3-and-D wings Finney-Smith and O'Neale. With Herb Jones already in that role, New Orleans could try to trade one of them for draft picks in a separate deal.
-- Kevin Pelton
Pistons jumpstart their rebuild, while the Pels land their point guard of the future
Detroit Pistons get: Williamson
New Orleans Pelicans get: No. 2 overall pick in 2023 draft, Bojan Bogdanovic, Isaiah Stewart
Charlotte Hornets get: No. 5 and 14
There is nothing like a three-team trade that involves three lottery picks and Williamson to shake up draft night.
Let's first start with Williamson and the Pistons.
There is no doubt that swapping the No. 5 pick, along with two starters, Bogdanovic and Stewart, presents risk for a player who has played 114 games over four seasons and is set to enter Year 1 of a $192 million contract.
The Williamson contract comes with game and injury clauses that give the Pistons a way out if the former All-Star suffers any more setbacks.
When healthy (and yes, that is a big if), Williamson is a franchise player and MVP candidate.
By moving off Williamson, the Pelicans not only gain financial flexibility this year but in the future. More importantly, New Orleans would draft its point guard of the future in Scoot Henderson and acquire Bogdanovic to pair with Ingram.
The Hornets inherit the most risk in this deal considering they are bypassing Henderson and Brandon Miller to move back three slots while also picking up a second lottery pick.
However, Charlotte is coming off a 27-win season and landing two potential starters is best served at this point of its rebuild.
-- Bobby Marks
Zion soars with the Hawks to pair with Trae
Atlanta Hawks get: Williamson, Jaxson Hayes
New Orleans Pelicans get: John Collins, Onyeka Okongwu, 2023 first-round pick, 2024 first-round pick (from SAC)
Williamson's spot as the top pick in the 2019 NBA draft has been mostly overshadowed by Ja Morant. Trae Young's star turn out of the 2018 draft has taken a backseat to Luka Doncic. But what if Williamson and Young teamed up?
The Hawks can double down on Williamson's role as a small-ball center, running pick-and-rolls galore with him and Young and catching lobs from the Atlanta point guard in transition. The State Farm Arena would be a scene to behold.
The Pelicans get a couple picks that still bring value in the aggregate even if they're not at the top of the lottery, plus New Orleans would save about $20 million in cap space and can plug Collins into Williamson's spot in the front court.
To make it work, the Hawks would have to pick up the team option on Okongwu and a sign-and-trade with Hayes. Both teams take on projects with some upside who haven't elevated in the rotation in their respective first stops.
-- Dave McMenamin
Zion and the Beard trade places
Philadelphia 76ers get: Williamson ($33M this year), Larry Nance Jr. ($10M this year), Garrett Temple ($5M), Trey Murphy III ($3M)
New Orleans Pelicans get: James Harden (currently $33M before opt out; Harden must agree to sign-and-trade), P.J. Tucker ($10.5M), Mac McClung (qualifying offer), two 2024 second-round picks (76ers' and Knicks' picks)
The Pelicans are built to take the next step into serious playoff contention, and the uncertainty of Williamson's availability has made it difficult for them to do so.
Brandon Ingram is an All-Star, but the fit with Williamson isn't ideal because both are combo forwards who like to operate with the ball in their hands. While Ingram would be the foundational young star of the Pels, he doesn't have the usage requirements of Joel Embiid, which would open up additional scoring opportunities for Harden. And Tucker is a tough-minded, defensive veteran to fit into the Pelicans frontcourt rotation next to Jonas Valanciunas and Herbert Jones. That team would have both the firepower and the size to compete with any team in the West, including the Denver Nuggets.
There are questions about whether the 76ers should retain Harden or let him leave as a free agent (if he opts out), due in large part to questions about Harden's fit on an offense in which he can't be the main option. But the 76ers can ill afford to lose Harden without replacement, even though Tyrese Maxey has become a perimeter threat.
If the 76ers can pair Williamson with Embiid and a strong supporting cast featuring Maxey, Murphy, De'Anthony Melton and Tobias Harris, the 76ers would have the highest ceiling in the NBA.
-- Andre' Snellings