The New Orleans Pelicans are 33-22, which places sixth in the competitive Western Conference. So far, there's not too much to complain about. Zion Williamson has been relatively healthy to date (44 of 55 possible games played), while Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and the supporting cast continue to produce at a high level.
Zion has struggled to operate at his standard level, but he's still one of the most dominant offensive forces in the sport. His strength and explosiveness attacking the rim are unmatched. When optimized as the Pelicans' de facto point guard, Williamson is a consistent source of advantage creation. He can collapse the defense on a whim and generate opportunities — both for himself and for teammates — off of that.
For the season, Williamson is averaging 22.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists on .585/.364/.684 splits in 30.5 minutes. Concerns about durability persist, and Williamson has not been the most consistent defender at his position. But, the Pelicans are lucky to have him in the lineup every night. That's why the latest report from Howard Beck of The Ringer is so shocking.
According to one executive who spoke with Beck, there's a belief that New Orleans will have to choose between Williamson and Brandon Ingram in the offseason. While the on-court product hardly suggests such a change is necessary, the Pelicans' concern about Williamson's dedication and competitive motor is an open secret.
So, if the Pelicans stumble down the stretch, there's a strong chance Zion is actually moved in what is shaping up to be a hectic and unpredictable summer. That being said, here are the teams that should be circling Williamson like vultures.
4. Jazz could take the next step with Zion Williamson trade
The Utah Jazz are basically sitting on Erebor after the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert trades. Few teams can exceed Utah's trade ammo, and the Pelicans are one of them. So, the Jazz are in a favorable positions when it comes to star-hunting. The drawback, of course, is market size. Salt Lake City is not a destination, but Zion is under contract through the 2027-28 season. The Jazz won't have to worry about him bolting.
Utah once again took a deliberate step back at the trade deadline, somehow turning Kelly Olynyk into a first-round pick from the Raptors and dealing fan favorite Simone Fontecchio to the Pistons. That said, Utah is prepared to ascend the Western Conference ranks quickly. Will Hardy is one of the brightest coaches in the game. Lauri Markkanen is a true perennial All-Star, while Walker Kessler is already a top-five rim protector. The backcourt is loaded with promising talent. Keyonte George will take a step forward eventually. Collin Sexton is in the middle of his breakthrough.
What makes Utah a particularly perfect fit for Zion is twofold. First, the Markkanen factor. He's the perfect Zion co-star — an elite off-ball scorer and versatile wing defender who can bend defenses with his 3-point shot. Second, Will Hardy's offense is entirely predicated on motion and ball movement. Utah doesn't run everything through a traditional point guard. There's room aplenty for Zion to step into a primary ball-handling role while Sexton, Jordan Clarkson, and Utah's wing apparatus orbit around him.
The Jazz are a Danny Ainge team. This rebuild is only momentary. Few teams are better prepared to strike while the iron is hot and land an impact player. It's not the obvious fit — Zion has long felt destined for the bright lights of New York City or Los Angeles — but it's one of the better fits. Zion would put Utah firmly on the map.
3. Thunder can cash in picks on Zion Williamson
Speaking of teams with a ton of picks to trade, the Oklahoma City Thunder literally cannot use all their draft capital. There's something to be said for maintaining a steady stream of affordable, team-controlled talent as the young core ages into max contracts, but the Thunder have the ammo to swing a major trade without sacrificing their best players. Sam Presti would be borderline irresponsible not to consider the possibility.
There's a strong chance any Zion trade comes at a discount relative to his actual talent. The off-court, effort-based concerns are real. OKC has built up a young core of spunky, ultra-competitive dudes who genuinely play for each other. There's risk in bringing Zion and all his uncertainty into that environment.
Even so... it's Zion Williamson. At the end of the day, a talent of that magnitude only comes around once in a blue moon. Zion can legitimately change the trajectory of a franchise. At full power, Williamson is one of the 10 or 15 best players in the world. His constant, unstoppable rim pressure can sustain an offense. Place him next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA's best slasher, and Chet Holmgren, one of the NBA's best stretch fives, and the Thunder are cooking with gas.
Defense is a concern with Zion, as he has never fully realized the inherent potential of his athletic gifts on that end of the floor. OKC happens to be one of the most complete defensive teams around. Williamson would be nestled between Holmgren's rim protection and several All-Defense candidates on the perimeter. Williamson can explode for weak-side blocks or blow up passing lanes on occasion, so he's not a complete one-way zero. For OKC, the reward greatly outweighs the risk.
The Thunder are already in the title contention zone. Adding Zion might push OKC into league-wide favorite territory.
2. Spurs can pair former No. 1 picks in Zion Williamson and Victor Wembanyama
The San Antonio Spurs discussed a potential Trae Young trade before the deadline. If that's on the table in the offseason, the Spurs should pounce on the opportunity. That said, sometimes a front office has to engineer a fallback plan. If the Spurs can't land Young, or Donovan Mitchell, or an elite ball-handler (in the traditional sense), Zion should be firmly planted on their radar.
At first blush, Zion is not a typical Spurs star. Maybe that's why it's perfect. Gregg Popovich still commands respect. If any organization can tap into Zion's unique talents while better positioning him off the court and in the locker room, it's San Antonio. Williamson needs to work harder on defense. The conditioning needs to improve, as does the 3-point shot ideally. The Spurs no longer have famed shot doctor Chip Engelland on staff — he's in OKC, for what it's worth — but player development remains an organizational trademark.
What is especially compelling is the fit between Zion and reigning No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama. Much has been made about the Spurs' need for a true point guard, but in today's NBA, we're allowed to think broader (and bigger) than that. Zion has played his best basketball as the Pelicans' primary ball-handler. He is essentially unstoppable once he's moving toward the basket. Allowing Williamson to scoot down the lane, with Wembanyama either spacing to the perimeter or offering a vertical threat at the rim, would work wonders. Both are grab-and-go threats in transition. The inverted four-five, or five-four pick-and-rolls would leave defenses scrambling for answers. The upside is immense.
The Spurs have the draft picks to land Williamson and the flexibility elsewhere to add more complementary pieces. That said, Williamson eliminates the pressing need for another perimeter shot creator. His slashing would set up more opportunities for Devin Vassell on the wing, while the Spurs' other wings and guards — Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, Keldon Johnson (if he's still around) — would all benefit, too.
Injuries are a forever concern with Williamson, but pairing Wembanyama's unmatched length and skill with Willamson's brute strength on drives, could be the type of sharp dichotomy that elevates San Antonio's offense to elite levels.
1. Warriors can let Zion Williamson and Stephen Curry break defenses
The Golden State Warriors have quietly built up an impressive cache of trade assets. WIth several draft picks, as well as Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Brandin Podziemski, Golden State has enough firepower to get New Orlenas on the phone — and maybe even enough to get a deal across the finish line.
It's abundantly clear that Golden State wants to add a true star wing next to Stephen Curry. While LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Paul George are the more popular west-coast names being tossed around, Zion lurks as possibly the most realistic outcome. If the Pelicans decide to blow it up or reshape the roster, Zion could provide the extra jolt the Warriors' offense needs.
Curry continues to produce at an MVP level for Golden State, but the veteran apparatus around him is falling apart. Recent improvement from Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green has the Warriors back on a winning track, but there's no guarantee that Draymond and Wiggins can maintain this momentum. Meanwhile, Klay Thompson is quickly approaching the Heat-era Ray Allen stage of his career, if he's lucky. So much for that one final max contract.
Too often the Warriors have operated at an athletic disadvantage this season. Zion can fix that in an instant, giving Golden State a consistent source of rim pressure and playmaking to complement Curry's methodical off-ball movement. Williamson is the NBA's premier downhill wrecking ball; Curry keeps defenses occupied to the extreme with his ceaseless relocation. Those two-man actions are going to be damn hard to stop. So much was made about Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, but Curry is more dynamic shooting off movement and Williamson, when healthy, is an even better rim finisher than Giannis (please do not confuse this with 'Zion is a better player than Giannis').
Golden State would be the best offense in the NBA on paper. The Draymond fit would be a bit awkward, and the Warriors might struggle to defend with a small frontcourt built around Williamson. Still, it's worth the inevitable ebbs and flows, the trial and error, to see what Williamson and Curry can accomplish in tandem.