Zion Williamson has played up to his enormous expectations this season. Despite not making the playoffs on a talented team, Williamson averaged 27.0 PPG and 7.9 RPG while shooting 61.1% from the field. In an era where physicality is minimized, we might have not seen the best of Zion Williamson just yet. That means Zion is already a global superstar and one of the best players in the NBA regardless of age.
But he is playing for New Orleans. The city has had some solid teams throughout the years including the Chris Paul-led Hornets and the Anthony Davis-led Pelicans. But right now, there is no denying this team is not as great as they should be. For Zion Williamson, a global superstar needs a chance at a global market.
Most importantly, Zion Williamson and his family have already hinted at a possible departure from New Orleans.
Zion’s family have hinted that they are unhappy with the way New Orleans have built a squad around the superstar forward, while the dysfunction in the organization is not suitable for winning at the highest level. The Pelicans fired head coach Stan Van Gundy only a year into his 4-year contract and that leaves a ton of questions on the table right now. With a once in a generation talent like Zion on the roster, the Pelicans should be making the playoffs instead of falling to the 11th seed in the West.
Luckily for big markets such as Los Angeles and New York, there could be a possible reunion in the near future. Williamson has already spoken highly of the Knicks, and the Lakers are always in the hunt for the best players in the game. Zion is currently under contract with the Pelicans and with the team’s qualifying offer, the powerhouse forward is a Pelican until the 2024 summer. With the way things are going in New Orleans, Zion might have a chance to join either the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks in the near future.
Greatest Franchise Ever – Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are the winningest franchise in NBA history (tied with the Boston Celtics) and have won 17 championships. In terms of building contenders and always fielding the best players in the NBA, the Lakers might be the greatest franchise in NBA history. The Lakers have always had the best players in the game, most recently having LeBron James lead the franchise to the 2020 NBA championship last year. For a young superstar with a ton of expectations, the Lakers are always the best option.
They took a young Kobe Bryant and helped him become a top-2 shooting guard of all-time. They even took Anthony Davis and turned him into an NBA champion after years of mediocrity in New Orleans. They could do the same with Zion Williamson, and the roster is perfectly set up for a powerhouse frontcourt.
LeBron James will be 37 next season and is clearly a few years away from riding off into the sunset. The King has already won a title for the Purple and Gold and there is not much more expected of him from Lakers fans around the world. That means looking ahead to the near future, the Lakers need their replacement for LeBron James.
By 2024, Zion is no longer under contract and LeBron James will likely be retired. That gives the Lakers a chance to pair a 24-year old Zion Williamson with a 32-year old Anthony Davis. A frontcourt of Zion and Davis would be the best in the NBA by a mile, and with the way the Lakers organization operate, they could have cap space for a third superstar.
Zion Williamson is most likely out of New Orleans in just a few years, and his best chance to win a championship would be joining Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers. Zion needs to be with an organization known for winning and the young superstar should choose Los Angeles as his next home. That is unless, of course, he wants to take a bigger challenge and be the face of the Mecca of basketball.
The Mecca Of Basketball – New York Knicks
The New York Knicks have been a laughing stock for the majority of the past 2 decades, but they are not anymore. The Knicks finally made the playoffs this year after grabbing the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference with a 41-31 record. New York have a star in Julius Randle, a great coach in Tom Thibodeau, and a history of being the most attractive team in basketball.
Most importantly for Knicks fans, Zion Williamson has already sung his praises about one of the most famous franchises in American sports. It is no wonder why Zion said himself that New York is his favorite place to play basketball.
When Zion made the statement about the Knicks, the hopes around New York would be that the young star would soon be a player for them. While that might be a few years down the line, it certainly makes sense. Zion Williamson is the most hyped rookie in NBA history after LeBron James, and the amount of attention he gets around the world is truly mesmerizing.
Like a young LeBron James was, Zion is must-see tv because his raw physicality and skills are unprecedented in the NBA right now. This type of box office attraction belongs in a massive market, and specifically in the Mecca of Basketball in New York. Zion Williamson belongs on billboards across New York City with fans around the world flocking in to see him play.
New Orleans is a great city with loyal fans, but nothing compares to the bright lights of New York. Before Williamson even entered the NBA, rumors of Zion in New York were all over the place. He was born to play there, and even the superstar himself knows it. With a chance to be the next King of New York and cement his legacy as an all-time great player who brings a title to the Knicks (for the first time since 1973), Zion is destined to play in the Mecca.
