The New Orleans Pelicans could trade Zion Williamson this week, according to NBA insider Bill Simmons.
The 2023 NBA Draft is on Thursday, June 22.
“I had somebody yesterday that I trust that told me that Zion will no longer be on the Pelicans come Thursday,” Simmons said.
The Pelicans are interested in trading up in the draft to select Scoot Henderson. For that to happen, most people around the league believe New Orleans would have to trade Williamson, who has only appeared in 114 out of possible 308 regular-season games since being drafted by the Pelicans with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Duke.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zion Williamson & New Orleans Pelicans Updates
Williamson signed a five-year, $194.3 million designated rookie contract extension with the Pelicans in July 2022. The lefty played in 24 games in his rookie year and 61 games in his sophomore year. The two-time All-Star missed his entire third year and appeared in just 29 games this past season.
When he’s been on the court, Williamson has been a superstar. The North Carolina native has career averages of 25.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists. However, there have been questions about Williamson’s diet and commitment to basketball.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zion Williamson & New Orleans Pelicans Updates
According to NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Williamson doesn’t have a relationship with the Pelicans organization or his teammates.
“There is no relationship between Zion and the organization,” Windhorst said on his podcast. “And minimal relationship between Zion and his teammates, from what I understand. … It’s surprising to me how out there it is in the league that the Pelicans are discussing Zion business.
“I want to be very careful about the word ‘offer’ because that word is a dangerous word. I’m not sure the Pelicans have ‘offered’ Zion to anybody, but every day that passes over the past five or six days, I hear different discussions the Pelicans have had that implies they are going to make Zion available. Him or Brandon Ingram. I wouldn’t rule out anything I guess, but the events of the last six months with Zion are what they are.”
Want the latest in NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
