NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN doesn’t expect Zion Williamson to be traded by the New Orleans Pelicans.
“I do not believe Zion Williamson is going to be traded this offseason,” Wojnarowski said. “My expectation and I believe the expectation is in New Orleans, he is on their opening night roster.”
Williamson 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. The lefty played in 24 games in his rookie year and 61 games in his sophomore year.
Williamson then missed his entire third year and appeared in just 29 games this past season.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Hornets & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
There have been a lot of conflicting reports about whether Williamson will get moved this offseason. What we do know is that the Pelicans are trying to move up in the 2023 NBA Draft to select point guard Scoot Henderson. New Orleans would probably have to trade Williamson or Brandon Ingram to get the second pick from the Charlotte Hornets or the third pick from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Williamson has career averages of 25.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists. The forward signed a five-year, $194.3 million designated rookie contract extension with the Pelicans in July 2022. There have been several questions about Williamson’s diet and commitment to basketball.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Hornets & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
According to 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.”
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