The New Orleans Pelicans missed the playoffs this season, finishing the regular season with a 42-40 record. It is clear that this was not what the team expected, and some changes must be made to help the compete in the now or in the future.
A recent report revealed that the New Orleans Pelicans want to trade up to get either the No. 2 or the No. 3 pick, in order to draft Scoot Henderson. It makes sense for them to pursue a deal directly with the Charlotte Hornets rather than the Portland Trail Blazers, as the Hornets can simply threaten to draft Scoot Henderson themselves.
A deal acceptable to the Hornets would likely involve trading power forward Zion Williamson, rather than Brandon Ingram: a star would require trading one of them. Williamson has a five-year deal, but his value has been lowered because he only averages 28.5 games a season. Ingram meanwhile only has two years remaining on his deal and could leave in free agency at the end of the 2024-25 season. Here is a potential trade scenario that would send Zion Williamson to the Charlotte Hornets for a package centered around the No. 2 pick.
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Zion Williamson, No. 14 Pick
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Gordon Hayward, No. 2 Pick
There is no doubt that this would be a blockbuster deal that could end up having benefits for both teams. Here is why each team should consider making this trade and how it could help them take the next step toward winning.
The Charlotte Hornets Would Get A Must-Watch Duo
There is no doubt that both LaMelo Ball and Zion Williamson are social media sensations: Ball is well-known for his flashy passing ability and elite 3PT shooting, while Williamson is a dynamic athlete whose dunks are often posted on highlight-oriented social media pages. The two are a good fit on the court as well, and pairing them together could result in a consistent playoff team.
Of course, trading for Zion Williamson has its negatives for the Charlotte Hornets. He only averages 28.5 games played a season, and pairing him with another injury-prone star is definitely a red flag. However, the Charlotte Hornets have few ways of acquiring a talent like Zion Williamson unless they draft and develop a player of that caliber. This season, Zion Williamson averaged 26.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 4.6 APG, and he is clearly an All-NBA caliber player when healthy. It makes sense to take a chance on his talent level, and his ceiling is absolutely insane.
This deal would obviously be centered around the No. 2 pick, which would give the New Orleans Pelicans an opportunity to draft Scoot Henderson, who is viewed as an elite guard prospect. The team would also have to send out Gordon Hayward for salary-matching purposes.
This trade would obviously be a high-risk, high-reward trade for the Charlotte Hornets. Passing on Scoot Henderson is definitely a tough sell, but if there’s a player that makes it worth it, it’s Zion Williamson.
The New Orleans Pelicans Retool Around Brandon Ingram And Scoot Henderson
The New Orleans Pelicans have found little success during the Zion Williamson era, partly because the star has consistently been injured. Perhaps now is the time to trade him, and take a different direction. Brandon Ingram has led them to the playoffs during the 2021-22 season, and perhaps with a different co-star, he could lead them even further. He has a career season this year, averaging 24.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 5.8 APG while shooting 39.0% from 3PT range.
Getting Scoot Henderson would definitely herald a new era of Pelicans basketball. The guard is well-known for his electric athleticism, playmaking, and slashing ability. He could become the floor general that the team has been missing and take some of the ballhandling pressure off of Brandon Ingram. With the G-League Ignite this past season, Scoot Henderson averaged 16.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 6.8 APG.
The team would also get a quality veteran in Gordon Hayward, who is on an expiring contract and could help the team clear long-term salary, with some potential for him to get re-signed on a long-term deal. He averaged 14.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 4.1 APG this season and is a versatile forward that can do a little bit of everything and provides veteran leadership with plenty of experience in the playoffs.
It would be interesting to see if Zion Williamson does end up getting moved. There were some reports about the team exploring trades for him in the past, and it’s clear that it isn’t out of the question.
This Trade Would Shake Up The League
There is no doubt that a Zion Williamson trade would definitely be a league changer, especially when paired with an elite point guard like LaMelo Ball. The Charlotte Hornets would immediately become one of the most exciting teams in the league and would draw in a lot of new viewers. It would be interesting to see whether the Charlotte Hornets would be willing to pull the trigger on such a deal, and nothing is impossible.
As for the New Orleans Pelicans, they would be able to get a franchise-changing prospect in Scoot Henderson. This would be a solid centerpiece in a Zion Williamson trade, and it would be interesting to see how he would do with the rest of the young talent that is currently on the New Orleans Pelicans roster. In particular, his fit with forward Trey Murphy would be amazing, as Murphy could really take advantage of Henderson’s playmaking ability.
Of course, this trade scenario could easily be one of those that is forgotten in the future as another failed trade. However, this trade makes sense for both sides, and we’ll see what happens in the future.
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