New Orleans Pelicans Receive: RJ Barrett, 2022 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2024 First-Round Pick (NYK)
New York Knicks Receive: F Zion Williamson
With this trade, everything comes full circle. Just a few short years after teaming up together in college, Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett find themselves being traded for each other.
This deal offers both teams fair value. Some may expect a more lucrative haul of draft capital for Williamson. That’s fair, but with so many questions surrounding Williamson’s long-term health, his trade value may have depreciated.
The New Orleans Pelicans are still getting well-compensated here. Barrett may not have the same upside as his Blue Devil teammate, but at 21 he has plenty of time to build on the 20.0 points per game he averaged in 2021-22. They’re also getting a 2022 lottery pick. That selection is guaranteed to land in the top 14, giving the Pels a chance to land another long-term piece, if not a potential star.
If anything about this deal gives either team pause, it might be Barrett’s inclusion. It’s hard to imagine his fit alongside Brandon Ingram, who would instantly become the centerpiece of this Pelicans offense.
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Meanwhile, the New York Knicks may strongly prefer to pair Williamson and Barrett. They have pre-existing chemistry, along with current Knick and former Blue Devil Cam Reddish.
If the Knicks insist on getting the band back together, they’ll have to pay a premium.
