If the recent rumors are true, it appears as if the New Orleans Pelicans are finally ready to move on from Zion Williamson.
Nightmarish. Disastrous. Forgetable. Regretful. Any specific adjective you want to use to describe how the New Orleans Pelicans season has gone so far compared to their pre-season expectations works. All in all, the Pelicans are in the midst of a lost season and will likely head back to the drawing board as they try to identify the best path forward for the franchise.
With the NBA Trade Deadline quickly approaching, the early indications are that the Pelicans will have some big decisions to make about the future of their roster. As a natural candidate to emerge as a seller at the deadline, all eyes will be on the Pelicans as they have some valuable pieces that could move the needle if they were to hit the trade block.
Adding to that intrigue, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, the Pelicans are open and willing to move anyone on their roster not named Herb Jones, Yves Missi, and Trey Murphy III. Considering how bad of a season this has evolved into for the Pelicans, this may not be all that surprising. However, there was one big name missing from the untouchables list that I couldn't help but notice - Zion. Reading between the lines, I would assume this means the Pelicans aren't above trading their supposed face of the franchise.
If so, that would be a stark shift from the recent reporting that has surrounded the Pelicans' strong belief in Zion. With how this season has gone, coupled with this reporting, I wouldn't say it's outlandish to suggest that the Pelicans are finally open to the idea of giving up on Zion.
Is it time for the New Orleans Pelicans to trade Zion?
It should be noted that while the Pelicans are theoretically "open" to the idea of trading Zion, I also don't believe that the Pelicans are out here openly shopping him with the hope of parting ways with him by the NBA Trade Deadline. But while I don't believe that to be the case, I can't help but wonder what the potential trade market would look like for Zion if the Pelicans did explore that path.
Would there be a big market for Zion? It's tough to suggest either way, especially considering that he's injured at the moment and has only appeared in a handful of games so far this season. But that said, it is an interesting idea to ponder as we inch closer to the NBA Trade Deadline.
Do I believe that Zion is going to be on the Pelicans' roster at the end of the season? Absolutely. However, at the same rate, I do believe that there's also a non-zero chance that he could be traded between now and the trade deadline. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure how much that was the case before this season - especially with how strong of a year he had in 2023-24. Changes could be on the horizon for the Pelicans and for the first time in a while, Zion may not be considered a foundational part of the team's future.