Zion Williamson is among the most compounding players in the NBA. When he’s healthy, he’s looked like an MVP candidate. It just so happens that he isn’t healthy very often. Williamson has been in the NBA for four years now. During that time, he’s played the equivalent of roughly a single NBA season.
What should the Pelicans do? Giving up on Williamson won’t be easy. He was supposed to be this team’s guiding light. The Pelicans selected Williamson with the first pick in the NBA draft, and he was supposed to change their fortunes. Thus far, he’s brought them more frustration than anything else.
Does that mean that they have to trade him? Not necessarily. The Pelicans may decide that they’d prefer to stay the course. On the other hand, they could equally decide that it’s time for them to cut their losses. If they go the latter route, could they send Williamson to the Indiana Pacers?
The Trade Proposal
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: G/F Buddy Hield, F/C Daniel Theis, G TJ McConnell, 2026 First-Round Pick (IND), 2028 First-Round Pick (IND), 2029 First-Round Pick (Swap – IND)
Indiana Pacers Receive: F Zion Williamson
NBA history is full of players whose careers were cut short by injuries. You know the names. Grant Hill. Brandon Roy. Greg Oden. All of these players could have changed the NBA. Unfortunately, their bodies had other plans for them. Does that mean we should be concerned about Williamson?
It’s hard to say. These are not perfect comparisons. Sports medicine has come a long way in recent years. With that in mind, we should probably look to more recent examples if we’re trying to project Williamson’s future.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans & Indiana Pacers Updates
That doesn’t help, either. Joel Embiid looked like his career could be cut short and made a remarkable comeback. Unfortunately, Jonathan Isaac has failed to launch – although he could make a comeback. In the end, every player’s body is different. We don’t know whether Williamson will get healthy or not. Should the Pacers take a risk on him?
Why The Indiana Pacers Do The Deal
The Pacers have been linked to a lot of 4s this summer. We’ve heard that they were in the running for Pascal Siakam. It’s been said that they’d be interested in Tobias Harris. Why not Williamson?
Well, for obvious reasons – Williamson’s health. That’s a very legitimate concern. This is a massive risk for the Pacers. At the same time, if it works out, it could result in the best team in franchise history. The dynamic between Williamson and Tyrese Haliburton ought to be impossible to guard.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans & Indiana Pacers Updates
Think about it. Williamson commands the defense to collapse on the interior. How can they collapse with an elite shooter like Haliburton on the perimeter? Meanwhile, Williamson’s abilities as a play finisher will be complemented by playing next to an elite playmaker like Haliburton. If the Pacers want to take a risk, they should be interested in Williamson. Should the Pelicans really move him?
Why The New Orleans Pelicans Do The Deal
Williamson may be compounding for general managers. He’s compounding for writers, too. What is Williamson’s value on the open market? Seriously – there may not be a more difficult player to write a hypothetical trade about.
If he’s healthy, this return looks like a joke. It could be a decision that lives in infamy for the Pelicans forever more. On the other hand, if Williamson can’t get right, the Pelicans are getting Buddy Hield, two unprotected first-round picks, and a swap for free. This is a difficult decision for us, and it would be difficult for the Pelicans, too.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans & Indiana Pacers Updates
In the end, we’re not saying New Orleans should do this. We’re saying that if they make Williamson available, this is roughly the return they should make. It wouldn’t put the Pelicans in such a bad spot. They’d still have Brandon Ingram and a platoon of quality young players – and one of the league’s best collections of draft capital. It just happens that they’d be shedding one of the most complicated players in the NBA.
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