The Brooklyn Nets are one of the more confusing teams in the NBA. This team’s situation is just weird. The Nets are good, but they’re far from title contention.
Conventional wisdom would suggest that a team in that situation should tank. The Nets can’t tank. They could lose every game for the rest of this season.
They’d send the Houston Rockets a lottery pick for their troubles. That holds true through to 2027. The Rockets control the Nets’ draft for the next several years. The Nets have every incentive to win.
That’s fine. The Nets have a lot of good pieces, and they have a lot of assets. They could trade for an offensive star, and they’d likely be able to push towards title contention.
Could that offensive star be Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans?
NBA Trade Proposal: Brooklyn Nets Land New Orleans Pelicans’ Zion Williamson
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: F/C Ben Simmons, 2025 First-Round Pick (PHX via BKN), 2027 First-Round Pick (Top 8 Protected – PHI via BKN), 2029 First-Round Pick (DAL via BKN)
Brooklyn Nets Receive: F Zion Williamson
The Pelicans are a slightly complicated team in their own right. This team has a lot of talent. That’s not in question. Can that talent win together? Can they even stay on the floor?
That second question pertains directly to Williamson. He’s the most injury-prone star in the NBA. When healthy, Williamson is a walking paint touch. He’s a one-man offensive system. It doesn’t count for anything if he’s on the injury report.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets Updates
Luckily, there’s a lot more young talent on the Pelicans. Brandon Ingram is already a star. Trey Murphy III, Dyson Daniels, and Herb Jones are young players that any team would be happy to have on their roster.
Should the Pelicans retool by moving Williamson?
Why The New Orleans Pelicans Do The Deal
It’s a tough call. Moving Williamson stings. When the Pelicans selected him with the first overall pick, he was supposed to be their franchise savior. Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked out that way.
That doesn’t mean that New Orleans has to move Williamson. They could continue to gamble on him. With that said, there must be a temptation to move on at this point.
Williamson’s body has continuously let him down, and it has let the Pelicans down in the process. This deal doesn’t leave New Orleans in a difficult spot.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets Updates
They’d still have Ingram and all of the young players we mentioned – and now, they’d have three additional first-round picks. Moreover, Simmons was rounding back into form until a recent injury.
Should the Nets part with him?
Why The Brooklyn Nets Do The Deal
Even if Simmons gets back to his peak level, he’s not an optimal fit for this roster. His inability to space the floor or pressure the rim makes him a questionable fit alongside Nicolas Claxton.
Williamson would be a better fit. He’s not a knockdown shooter, but he’s more willing than Simmons. Meanwhile, his rim pressure is elite.
Claxton and Williamson both thrive on the dunker’s spot, but Claxton is also effective in dribble hand-off actions. This duo can work. Is this a risk? Absolutely. Williamson’s body is a concern for any team.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets Updates
Still, this deal raises the Nets’ ceiling considerably. If Williamson can stay healthy, there won’t be anything complicated about their situation – they’ll be contenders.
