The New Orleans Pelicans haven’t made a formal offer to the Portland Trail Blazers for the third pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
The Pelicans want to trade up in the draft to select point guard Scoot Henderson. New Orleans would have to part ways with Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram to get the second or third pick. The Charlotte Hornets have the second overall pick.
“The Pelicans have yet to make formal offers to the Blazers for the No. 3 pick, sources told Yahoo Sports, despite New Orleans’ known interest in Henderson of G League Ignite,” Fischer wrote. “It remains to be seen if the Pelicans will actually be open to parting with Williamson, the No. 1 pick in 2019, and we may not learn New Orleans’ appetite for such a blockbuster until Portland is on the clock come Thursday evening — although all indications are that the Pelicans would require more than the third selection to part with either of New Orleans’ two All-Stars.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
The Pelicans are open to trading Williamson if they can move up in the draft and select Henderson, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. New Orleans is less inclined to consider trading Ingram in the same scenario.
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.
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If the Blazers trade the third overall pick to the Pelicans, they would prefer to acquire Williamson over Ingram, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. The 2023 NBA Draft is on Thursday, June 22.
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