The marriage between Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans has felt destined to fail. It’s been this way since the 2019 NBA draft. Rumors began to emerge almost instantly – Williamson wasn’t happy in the smaller New Orleans market.
This year, that unhappiness has possibly been visible. We’re not conclusively saying that Williamson is out of shape because he wants out of New Orleans.
Still, it does feel fair to question his commitment to this franchise. Williamson’s play and general shape have done little to silence doubts about this partnership.
Perhaps Williamson just wants to go to a bigger market. The New York Knicks were in the 2019 lottery. A lot of fans wanted to see Williamson land there.
Could they trade for him now?
NBA Trade Proposal: New York Knicks Land New Orleans Pelicans’ Zion Williamson
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: F Julius Randle, C Isaiah Hartenstein, 2025 First-Round Pick (NYK)
New York Knicks Receive: F Zion Williamson, G Kira Lewis Jr.
Perhaps we’re being unfair. We’re speculating. Williamson may be doing everything in his power to get his body right. For all we know, he wants to spend the rest of his career in New Orleans.
We’re simply putting the pieces together. People have been publicly questioning Williamson’s commitment to conditioning.
Meanwhile, rumors about his dissatisfaction in New Orleans have been persistent for some time. At this point, we can only work with the information that we’ve got.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks Updates
Typically, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Williamson has been the subject of trade rumors for so long that we’ve got to wonder whether they could make him available.
Could they send him to the Knicks?
Why The New Orleans Pelicans Do The Deal
Something is depressing about this on the Pelicans’ end. They already had Randle. Drafting Williamson only to revert to him feels regressive.
It isn’t. The Pelicans have added a lot of young talent since they parted with Randle. Meanwhile, Randle has improved as well. He doesn’t have Williamson’s upside, but he’s at least a reliably healthy body.
The Pelicans should stay relevant by pairing him with Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and a deep young core. They’ll also have the draft capital to improve.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks Updates
Here, they’re adding a pick to an already impressive collection. Moreover, they’re finally ridding themselves of any trouble they’ve got on their hands with Williamson.
Should the Knicks risk taking on that trouble?
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
If Williamson is truly unhappy in a smaller market, he should fit in with the Knicks. After all, New York is the biggest market in the NBA. That’s part of the equation here. Should the Knicks be interested in Williamson?
It’s certainly debatable. Whether Williamson’s conditioning is weak or not, his body is certainly prone to failing. Williamson may be the most injury-prone player in the NBA.
This is a risky proposition on New York’s end. At the same time, the payoff could be enormous. After all, at times, Williamson has looked like an MVP candidate.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks Updates
When healthy, he’s among the best interior scorers in the NBA. Williamson could still have a bright career ahead of him – whether it’s in New Orleans or not.
