Zion Williamson – New Orleans Pelicans
Since being drafted 1st overall by the Pelicans in 2019, New Orleans has missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons and Zion Williamson will now be coached by his third head coach in as many seasons in the league. Alvin Gentry could not get the job done with the Pelicans, nor could Stan Van Gundy, but maybe first-time head coach Willie Green can finally lead this team to the playoffs, somewhere they have not been since 2018.
Overall, the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans franchise has never really been viewed as a successful franchise, as the farthest they have ever gone in the postseason was to the Western Conference Semifinals in 2008 and 2018. They have only been a franchise in the NBA since the 2002-03 season, so they are still relatively “new” in a sense, but New Orleans is going to have to turn things around quickly if they are to keep Zion long-term.
Who knows what Zion Williamson is thinking if he is even thinking about his future yet seeing as he is entering his third year in the league, but there have been reports in the past that his family does not want him to remain with the Pelicans past his rookie deal. According to The Athletic back in June, the young star’s family members are unhappy with the organization and the way they have managed their team, resulting in them wanting Zion to join another team worthy of his star-power.
Now, all of this needs to be taken with a grain of salt because who knows who actually said this and if this is actually how his family feels, but it is definitely an interesting scenario to think about. Should Zion Williamson become available to the other 29 teams in the league, there will be a massive bidding war going on for him.
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The New York Knicks are definitely a team who could be intriguing for Zion to play with not only because of their rich history and their potential to be one of the better teams in the league over the next handful of years, but because they are located in the biggest market in all of professional sports.
Zion Williamson going to the bright lights of New York City could open up his brand and market to a whole new level than the likes of New Orleans can, resulting in plenty of new endorsement deals and business ventures for the young star.
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Again, nothing has been said about what Zion Williamson is thinking and he probably has not thought about his future in the slightest right now, but come time for the 2022-23 season, especially if the Pelicans miss the playoffs during the 2021-22 season, there will be heavy speculation about what the future holds for Zion.
